Development of dysphagia management protocols using functional magnetic resonance imaging in post stroke dysphagia

Abstract

All post stroke individuals do not have swallowing difficulty. Only a newlineproportion of stroke population gets dysphagia. Though there are various centers newlinein brain associated with swallowing, which when affected will result in dysphagia, newlinedeterminants of dysphagia following stroke is not available in the open literature. newlineAn analysis on the determinants of dysphagia following stroke would help in newlineframing the inclusion criteria for the further stages of the study where measures newlinecan be taken to control the external variables. In future, analysis of prognosis of newlinedysphagia can be judged using the details regarding presence or absence of the newlinedeterminants. Hence, the present study was taken up to analyze the determining newlinefactors for dysphagia following stroke. newlineDysphagia after stroke is proved a major obstacle in rehabilitation after newlinestroke as it is associated with aspiration pneumonia, malnourishment and newlinedehydration. If untreated, it may result in increased morbidity and mortality. Thus, newlineit is inevitable to manage dysphagia at the earliest. Although there are various newlinetherapeutic interventions directed towards treatment of dysphagia after stroke, newlinethese are very minimal. Thus there is a strong need to device new intervention newlineprotocol and standardise the existing tools to enhance the recovery of newlineswallowing. newlineNeuro plasticity is an innate ability of the brain to reorganize on its own newlineand recover its lost function following stroke. This is the phenomena that newlinephysiotherapists would target to rehabilitate after stroke. Physiotherapists newlineenhance the neuronal plasticity by giving sensory inputs and task specific newlineapproach. In turn the process of neuronal plasticity helps the therapist in motor recovery at the earliest. The plasticity takes place actively for the first six months newlinefollowing stroke and gradually reduces in the next one year. Emerging evidence newlinedemonstrates improvement of swallowing function and muscle activity following newlineNMES to pharyngeal muscles.