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Effects of Surface Electrical Stimulation Both at Rest and During Swallowing in Chronic Pharyngeal Dysphagia

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Abstract

We tested two hypotheses using surface electrical stimulation in chronic pharyngeal dysphagia: that stimulation (1) lowered the hyoid bone and/or larynx when applied at rest, and (2) increased aspiration, penetration, or pharyngeal pooling during swallowing. Bipolar surface electrodes were placed on the skin overlying the submandibular and laryngeal regions. Maximum tolerated levels of stimulation were applied while patients held their mouth closed at rest. Videofluoroscopic recordings were used to measure hyoid movements in the superior-inferior and anterior-posterior dimensions and the subglottic air column position while stimulation was on or off. Patients swallowed 5 ml liquid when stimulation was off, at low sensory stimulation levels, and at maximum tolerated levels (motor). Speech pathologists, blinded to condition, tallied the frequency of aspiration, penetration, pooling, and esophageal entry from videofluorographic recordings of swallows. Only significant (p = 0.0175) hyoid depression occurred during stimulation at rest. Aspiration and pooling were significantly reduced only with low sensory threshold levels of stimulation (p = 0.025) and not during maximum levels of surface electrical stimulation. Those patients who had reduced aspiration and penetration during swallowing with stimulation had greater hyoid depression during stimulation at rest (p = 0.006). Stimulation may have acted to resist patients’ hyoid elevation during swallowing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laryngeal and Speech Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland

    Christy L. Ludlow PhD, Keith Saxon MD & Christopher Poletto PhD

  2. Departments of Medicine and Radiology, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wm. S. Middleton Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin

    Ianessa Humbert PhD

  3. Department of Rehabilitation of the Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

    Barbara Sonies PhD

  4. Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Lisa Crujido MS

  5. 10 Center Drive MSC 1416, Bldg. 10 Rm. 5D38, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Christy L. Ludlow PhD

Authors
  1. Christy L. Ludlow PhD
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  2. Ianessa Humbert PhD
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  3. Keith Saxon MD
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  4. Christopher Poletto PhD
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  5. Barbara Sonies PhD
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  6. Lisa Crujido MS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christy L. Ludlow PhD.

Additional information

The research was performed at the Laryngeal and Speech Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, and supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Project No. Z01 NS 02980.

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Ludlow, C.L., Humbert, I., Saxon, K. et al. Effects of Surface Electrical Stimulation Both at Rest and During Swallowing in Chronic Pharyngeal Dysphagia. Dysphagia 22, 1–10 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-006-9029-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-006-9029-4

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