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Motor Imagery in Post-Stroke Dysphagia

NCT07656844 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 43

Last updated 2026-06-24

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study evaluated the effects of motor imagery added to conventional swallowing rehabilitation in patients with dysphagia after stroke. Dysphagia, or swallowing difficulty, is a common problem after stroke and may increase the risk of aspiration, pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, and reduced quality of life.

Participants with post-stroke dysphagia were randomly assigned to one of three groups: video-assisted motor imagery, motor imagery alone, or control. All participants received conventional swallowing rehabilitation. In addition, the video-assisted motor imagery group watched videos showing swallowing-related actions and then mentally imagined the observed movement. The motor imagery alone group performed mental imagery of swallowing without visual stimulation. The control group received only conventional swallowing rehabilitation.

The intervention period lasted 4 weeks, with sessions performed twice weekly. Swallowing function was assessed before and after treatment using the Gugging Swallowing Screen, the Penetration-Aspiration Scale based on videofluoroscopic swallowing study, and the Stroke Impact Scale.

The aim of the study was to determine whether motor imagery, especially when supported by video observation, provides additional benefit for swallowing recovery in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.

Conditions

  • Post-stroke Dysphagia
  • Oropharyngeal Dysphagia (OPD)

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Video-Assisted Motor Imagery

Participants watched videos showing swallowing-related actions and then performed motor imagery by mentally simulating the observed swallowing movement. This intervention was added to conventional dysphagia rehabilitation.

BEHAVIORAL

Motor Imagery Training

Participants performed mental imagery of swallowing without visual stimulation. This intervention was added to conventional dysphagia rehabilitation.

BEHAVIORAL

Conventional Dysphagia Rehabilitation

Conventional dysphagia rehabilitation included standard swallowing therapy approaches used in clinical practice, such as swallowing exercises, compensatory strategies, postural adjustments, and diet or consistency modifications when appropriate.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Ankara Etlik City Hospital

    lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

  • Gizem Karcı Aktekin, MD · Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-07-01
Primary Completion
2026-05-31
Completion
2026-05-31

Countries

  • Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07656844 on ClinicalTrials.gov