Mentor/s
Avinash Mishra, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
Dysphagia, or swallow dysfunction, poses significant challenges for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and Huntington’s Disease (HD). This literature review evaluates the effectiveness of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) devices as a therapeutic intervention to enhance swallow function in this population. A comprehensive review of five articles employing the PEDro scale indicates that EMST leads to notable improvements in swallow safety and quality of life. Notably, randomized studies demonstrated a consistent positive correlation between EMST training and enhancements in Maximum Expiratory Pressure (MEP), which is integral for safe swallowing. Furthermore, self-report questionnaires used in the studies underscored that improved swallow function significantly correlates with enhanced perceived quality of life among participants. Despite the promising findings, the review highlights a considerable gap in research specific to EMST application in treating dysphagia within neurodegenerative contexts, suggesting a critical need for further investigation to validate and expand upon these preliminary observations. This synthesis emphasizes EMST as a viable intervention while advocating for more robust studies to conclusively address the complexities of dysphagia in neurodegenerative diseases.
College and Major available
Communication Disorders
Academic Level
Undergraduate student
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Start Day/Time
4-25-2025 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-25-2025 2:00 AM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Prize Categories
Best Multidisciplinary Research or Collaboration, Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Most Creative
Effects of EMST On Improving Swallow Function In Individuals With Neurodegenerative Disease
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Dysphagia, or swallow dysfunction, poses significant challenges for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and Huntington’s Disease (HD). This literature review evaluates the effectiveness of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) devices as a therapeutic intervention to enhance swallow function in this population. A comprehensive review of five articles employing the PEDro scale indicates that EMST leads to notable improvements in swallow safety and quality of life. Notably, randomized studies demonstrated a consistent positive correlation between EMST training and enhancements in Maximum Expiratory Pressure (MEP), which is integral for safe swallowing. Furthermore, self-report questionnaires used in the studies underscored that improved swallow function significantly correlates with enhanced perceived quality of life among participants. Despite the promising findings, the review highlights a considerable gap in research specific to EMST application in treating dysphagia within neurodegenerative contexts, suggesting a critical need for further investigation to validate and expand upon these preliminary observations. This synthesis emphasizes EMST as a viable intervention while advocating for more robust studies to conclusively address the complexities of dysphagia in neurodegenerative diseases.
Students' Information
Fiona Katz, Communication Disorders, Honors Program, 2025