Dysphagia Clinical Trials

This research study is investigating whether people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) experience more changes to swallowing than their healthy age-matched peers. The prevalence of swallowing impairments in moderate-severe AD is high (85-93%), yet little is known about how swallow function evolves throughout the disease course in people with AD. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate swallowing function in adults with and without Alzheimer's disease. The investigator will also be involving the primary caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's that are enrolled in the study to better understand the impact of swallowing impairments on the primary caregivers of those with Alzheimer's Disease. Healthy adults and individuals with Alzheimer's disease will: * undergo tests of cough and swallow function * undergo tests of grip and tongue strength * complete questionnaires Caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease will also complete questionnaires. Read Less

The Family Caregiver Survey is a one-time, 30-minute, online survey for people living with and caring for a family member with dementia. The goal of this research is to explore the needs of family caregivers, specifically when it comes to managing swallowing difficulties (dysphagia). Read Less

This research study is investigating whether completing breathing exercises before surgery helps heart transplant patients recover after surgery. Previous studies have shown that breathing exercises can improve breathing, cough, and swallow function in patients with other diseases/conditions. The current study will investigate the impact of a preoperative respiratory muscle strength training program on breathing and cough function, swallow function, patient-reported eating and swallowing fatigue, and health outcomes in individuals undergoing heart transplantation. Participants will: * undergo tests of breathing, cough, and swallow function * complete questionnaires about the treatment, their swallow function * complete breathing exercises daily Read Less

The overall purpose of this project is to develop effective dysphagia rehabilitative interventions for patients with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias at risk for pneumonia development. Read Less

The goal of this a clinical trial is to test the effect of a pharyngeal exerciser in rehabilitation of pharyngeal phase of swallowing in patients with dysphagia. The main question it aims to answer is: •Does application of pharyngeal exerciser improve swallowing as evidenced by need for prescribed intervention for dysphagia (maneuvers, exercises or dietary modification to prevent aspiration). Participants will: * Perform barium swallows in lateral view fluoroscopy * Over a six-week period, perform thrice daily sessions of swallowing with an external, laryngeal restriction device covering the larynx * Return for another fluoroscopic barium swallow study Read Less

The goal of this study is to determine which position, maneuvers or combination thereof generates the highest pressure at the EGJ as assessed by high-resolution esophageal manometry and thus greater or more robust contraction of the diaphragm. Read Less

This study will prospectively recruit and enroll patients undergoing primary Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) surgeries at NYU Langone. Participants will undergo pre-operative and six-week post-operative swallowing assessment using videofluoroscopy (VFSS). Acoustic voice samples and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) for swallowing and voice will also be collected. Beginning one-week before surgery participants will begin a behavioral health program that will be continued for six-weeks after surgery. The primary goal of this study will be to determine whether a preventative behavioral health program improves instrumental measures of swallowing and voice six-weeks after ACDF surgery. . Read Less

The purpose of this study is the development and early-stage validation of a wearable sensor for dysphagia in patients with PD. Read Less

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common symptom of many neurological diseases but its treatment is not well established or easily accessible. To start addressing this gap, the researchers developed and validated a cost-effective wearable surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback sensor technology (i-Phagia), optimized to record muscle activity from the head/neck and provide biofeedback to patients and adherence data to clinicians during swallow therapy. This system has been developed with commercially available and widely used materials and the Purdue University IRB has determined that the device is non-significant risk device. The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if this biofeedback (using this new technology/i-Phagia) when used as an adjunct to a standard swallow therapy protocol works to improve swallowing function in patients post chronic stroke or diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. It will also help the investigators learn whether this therapy protocol is equally effective when provided in-person versus via telehealth. Finally, it will determine which patient factors may influence how well the treatment works. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does biofeedback (using this new technology/i-Phagia) when used as an adjunct to a standard swallow therapy protocol works better than a standard of care treatment to improve swallowing function in patients post chronic stroke or diagnosed with Parkinson's disease? * Is completing the swallow therapy protocol at home (via telehealth) as effective as completing it in-person (in the clinic)? * What factors related to the patients (e.g., age, diagnosis, etc.) may influence how well the treatment works? Participants will: * Complete a 12-week swallow treatment protocol (12 treatment visits) either in-person or at home (via telehealth) * Complete 3 in-person evaluations (pre-treatment; post-treatment; and at a 12-week post treatment follow-up time point) * Exercise at home several days per week and keep a diary/log of their home exercise The hypothesis is that upon study completion, the efficacy of sEMG biofeedback-facilitated swallow therapy for both in-person and telehealth service delivery in two neurogenic dysphagia populations will have been established, and variables determining response to treatment will begin to be identified. Read Less

Investigators will assess the usefulness of using ultrasound in office procedures for laryngology interventions. Participants who qualify will be adults who are undergoing superior laryngeal nerve block, injection laryngoplasty, swallowing evaluation, voice evaluation and voice therapy. Read Less

Swallowing difficulties are extremely common and result in substantial morbidity, reduction in the quality of life, and mortality related to malnutrition and complications from regurgitation and aspiration. Unfortunately, our understanding regarding the pathophysiology of dysphagia and GERD has been hampered by focusing predominantly on circular muscle activity and ignoring the essential biomechanical properties of the esophageal wall that promote normal emptying. Our initial work explored the relationship between intrabolus pressure (IBP) and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) compliance as a metric for outflow resistance. This work highlighted the direct relationship between IBP and EGJ opening and was the foundation for the development of the classification scheme utilized around the world to diagnose esophageal motor disorders: "the Chicago Classification" (CC). Despite this improved understanding focused on bolus transit dynamics, there are still significant gaps in our scientific understanding centered on the lack of a true correlate for symptoms, reliable predictive models and effective treatments for Functional dysphagia, IEM and EGJOO. Given these limitations, we have developed novel approaches that combine assessments of primary and secondary peristalsis (a NeuroMyogenic Model of esophageal function). These will leverage our recent findings supporting the importance of the esophageal response to distension in bolus clearance, noting that this response of the esophageal wall to bolus retention or reflux is one of the most essential functions of the esophagus in preventing complications of aspiration, or reflux injury. We will also include an assessment of esophageal geometry and wall biomechanics (elasticity/dilatation) as these carry essential interactions with esophageal function that are overlooked in the current diagnostic paradigms. In order to test our hypothesis that wall mechanics are a major determinant of esophageal diseases, we had to develop new approaches and new technology to directly measure mechanical wall state, descending inhibition and LES opening. Using impedance techniques combined with manometry, we are now capable of assessing IBP and diameter changes across a space-time continuum (4D HRM). We also developed physics-based hybrid diagnostics that include a FLIP technique to assess esophageal work and power during volumetric distention (FLIP-MECH) and a fluoroscopy approach that simultaneously assesses esophageal diameter-pressure relationships (Fluoro-MECH). We also developed a new approach, Interactive FLIP Panometry, which facilitates an assessment of descending inhibition and the mechanism behind impaired LES opening. These tools will allow us to expand our models to combine an assessment of neuromyogenic function simultaneously with geometry. Our overarching goal will be to study well-defined patient populations (Functional Dysphagia, IEM/GERD, EGJOO and Achalasia) before and after targeted interventions to test the NeuroMyogenic and MechanoGeometric Model. This work will build upon the previous success of the CC and help advance the evolution of the CC by defining new, relevant biomechanical physiomarkers of disease activity that can identify new targets for therapeutic intervention and facilitate prediction of clinical outcomes. Read Less

This study of healthy young and elderly individuals is intended to assess the effects of pharyngeal exerciser on pharyngeal pressure phenomenon during swallowing. Our specific aim is to test if the pharyngeal exerciser increases the workload of muscles involved in pharyngeal phase of swallowing. Read Less