ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT07906028Updated Nov 5, 2026

Effortful Swallow Exercise With Visual Biofeedback for Tongue Strength in Parkinson's Disease

An interventional study of Effortful swallow exercise with visual biofeedback and Effortful swallow exercise without visual biofeedback in PARKINSON DISEASE (Disorder) and Dysphagia, sponsored by Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-05.

Sponsored by Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 2 years 1 month after the study started (first participant enrolled Sep 2024, registered Oct 2026).
Updated Oct 30, 2026Newly registeredGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
35
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Where this study stands

Counted across the records on this site · 2026-11-12

Among 171 studies in Parkinson Disease with a site in Turkey — 49 open to participants now, 56 under way, none of them phase 3. Parkinson Disease · Turkey.

Enrollment
44th of 98
35 · median 32
Started
2024
with 21 others
No phase
91 of 171
25 open now
Registered
171st of 171
by date
Lead sponsor
5 of 171
Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Among the 171 studies in Parkinson Disease with a site in Turkey, this one is the 44th largest by enrollment of the 98 interventional ones, is one of 22 that started in 2024, is one of 91 with no phase, and was the 171st registered.

By phase

171 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.

No phasethis study91 · 25 open
Observational73 · 23 open
Phase 33 · 0 open
Phase 43 · 1 open
Phase 21 · 0 open

By the year they started

First in 2004; this study’s year is marked. 22 started in 2024.

Size and results

Median enrollment 32 across the 98 interventional studies, 61 across the 73 observational. Of the 103 that completed or were terminated, 2 (2%) have results posted.

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Watch this landscapeDownload CSVWith an account: a weekly mail of what changed among 171 studies in Parkinson Disease with a site in Turkey, or all of them as a file.
02

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether adding visual biofeedback to an effortful swallow exercise program improves tongue strength and swallowing function in adults with Parkinson's disease.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does effortful swallow exercise with visual biofeedback increase tongue strength and tongue endurance more than the same exercise without visual biofeedback?
  • Does visual biofeedback lead to greater improvements in swallowing pressure, swallowing muscle activity, swallowing symptoms, and swallowing-related quality of life?

Researchers compared two groups that performed the same effortful swallow exercise program. In one group, participants saw real-time feedback on a tongue pressure device (Iowa Oral Performance Instrument, IOPI) showing when they reached their target swallowing effort. In the other group, participants did the same exercises with verbal instructions only and did not see the device display.

Participants:

  • Attended supervised exercise sessions with a speech-language therapist 3 times a week for 4 weeks (12 sessions in total)
  • Performed repeated hard saliva swallows in each session, with rest breaks between sets
  • Completed tongue pressure tests, a surface electromyography test of the muscles under the chin, and swallowing questionnaires before the program and within one week after it ended.
Read the detailed description

This single-center, randomized, parallel-group study was conducted at the Neurology Clinic of University of Health Sciences Istanbul Training and Research Hospital. Adults with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (Modified Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3) were randomly assigned to one of two groups using a computer-generated block randomization sequence.

Both groups received supervised effortful swallow therapy three times per week for four consecutive weeks (12 sessions). Each session consisted of five sets separated by 2-minute rest intervals. Participants performed 16 effortful saliva swallows per set at 15-second intervals during the first two weeks and 20 effortful swallows per set at 10-second intervals during the final two weeks. The IOPI bulb was positioned at the posterior tongue throughout the intervention in both groups. Correct execution of each swallow was confirmed by observation of hyolaryngeal movement.

In the visual biofeedback group, the IOPI was operated in Target Mode, with the target set at 80% of each participant's baseline maximum posterior tongue pressure; participants received real-time visual feedback when the target was reached. In the non-biofeedback group, the IOPI was operated in Peak Mode and the display was visible only to the therapist; participants received identical verbal instructions without visual feedback.

All assessments were performed during the ON phase of antiparkinsonian medication, at baseline and within one week after completion of the intervention. Surface electromyography assessments were performed by a neurologist blinded to group allocation.

03

Conditions studied

  • PARKINSON DISEASE (Disorder)
  • Dysphagia

Keywords

  • biofeedback
  • tongue strength
  • Iowa Oral Performance Instrument
  • Swallowing Exercise
  • effortful swallow
04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18 years or older
  • Neurologist-confirmed diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease
  • Stage 1 to 3 on the Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale
  • (MoCA) score of 21 or higher
  • Able to understand and follow study instructions

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of head and neck cancer
  • Neurological disorder other than idiopathic Parkinson's disease
  • Stage 4 or 5 on the Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale
  • Previous deep brain stimulation
  • Cognitive impairment interfering with understanding study instructions
  • Speech, language, or swallowing therapy within the previous 6 months
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

MMSE and MoCA

Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
35 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Visual Biofeedback Group

    Participants performed supervised effortful swallow exercises 3 times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions) with real-time visual biofeedback from the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) operated in Target Mode, with the target set at 80% of baseline maximum posterior tongue pressure.

    Behavioral: Effortful swallow exercise with visual biofeedback

  • Active comparator
    Non-biofeedback Group

    Participants performed the same supervised effortful swallow exercise program 3 times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions). The IOPI was operated in Peak Mode with the display visible only to the therapist; participants received identical verbal instructions without visual biofeedback.

    Behavioral: Effortful swallow exercise without visual biofeedback

Interventions

  • BehavioralEffortful swallow exercise with visual biofeedback

    Supervised effortful saliva swallow exercise delivered by a speech-language therapist. Each session included five sets with 2-minute rest intervals: 16 swallows per set at 15-second intervals in weeks 1-2, and 20 swallows per set at 10-second intervals in weeks 3-4. The IOPI bulb was placed at the posterior tongue. The IOPI was operated in Target Mode at 80% of baseline maximum posterior tongue pressure, and participants received real-time visual feedback when the target was reached. Correct swallow execution was confirmed by observation of hyolaryngeal movement.

  • BehavioralEffortful swallow exercise without visual biofeedback

    Identical supervised effortful saliva swallow exercise protocol (same frequency, duration, sets, repetitions, intervals, and posterior tongue bulb placement). The IOPI was operated in Peak Mode, and the display was visible only to the therapist. Participants received standardized verbal instructions without visual feedback. Correct swallow execution was confirmed by observation of hyolaryngeal movement.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Maximum Tongue Strength

    Maximum anterior and posterior tongue pressure (kPa) measured with the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI). Participants pressed the bulb against the hard palate as forcefully as possible for 3 seconds; three trials were performed at each location and the highest value was used. Higher values indicate greater tongue strength.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

  2. Tongue Endurance

    Anterior and posterior tongue endurance (seconds) measured with the IOPI as the time participants maintained 50% of their maximum tongue pressure. Three trials were performed at each location and the longest duration was used. Longer duration indicates greater endurance.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

Secondary outcomes

  1. Swallowing pressure

    Typical and effortful swallowing pressures (kPa) measured with the IOPI bulb at the posterior tongue during 3 mL water swallows. The mean of three trials for each task was used. Higher values indicate greater tongue pressure during swallowing.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

  2. Suprahyoid Muscle Activity

    Peak amplitude (µV) of suprahyoid muscle activity during typical and effortful saliva swallows, measured by surface electromyography. The mean of three peak amplitude values for each task was used. Assessments were performed by a neurologist blinded to group allocation.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

  3. Swallowing-Related Quality of Life (T-SWAL-QOL)

    Turkish version of the Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire, a 44-item questionnaire assessing swallowing-related quality of life across 11 domains. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better swallowing-related quality of life.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

  4. Dysphagia Symptom Severity (T-EAT-10)

    Turkish version of the Eating Assessment Tool, a 10-item self-report questionnaire. Each item is scored from 0 (no problem) to 4 (severe problem); total score ranges from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating more severe swallowing symptoms. A score of 3 or higher indicates clinically relevant swallowing difficulty.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

  5. Functional Oral Intake (FOIS)

    Functional Oral Intake Scale, a 7-level scale rating oral intake from 1 (nothing by mouth) to 7 (total oral diet with no restrictions). Higher levels indicate better functional oral intake.

    Time frame: Baseline and within 1 week after completion of the 4-week intervention

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Health Sciences Istanbul Training and Research Hospital
    Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

2 registry updates since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Sep 2024 to primary completion in Jun 2025, 9 months.

Of 1,291 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Parkinson Disease, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44. This study's 9 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 1,367 studies reached it within 25 months; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Oct 21, 2026
First posted
Oct 30, 2026
StartActual
Sep 16, 2024
Primary completionActual
Jun 26, 2025
CompletionActual
Jun 26, 2025
Last update
Nov 5, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Registered
First appeared on the registry. No changes since
Oct 30, 2026
Show all 2 updates
  1. Nov 5, 2026
    Minor edits only
    + 3 other changes: verification date, responsible party and conditions
  2. Oct 30, 2026
    First appeared on the registry

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07906028
Collaborators
Anadolu University
Responsible party
Beyza PEHLIVAN BOZOGLU (Principal Investigator, Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 30, 2026
Start date
Sep 16, 2024
Primary completion
Jun 26, 2025
Completion
Jun 26, 2025
Last update
Nov 5, 2026

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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