Tongue pressure against hard palate during swallowing in post-stroke patients

The tongue plays an important role in swallowing by contacting the palate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of tongue pressure production during swallowing in post-stroke patients using a newly developed sensor sheet.

Ten post-stroke inpatients with hemiplegia and five healthy volunteers participated in this study. Magnitude of tongue pressure during a dry swallow was measured using a newly developed sensor sheet comprising five sensors applied directly to the palate or to the palatal surface of a maxillary denture using denture adhesive. Swallowing ability was evaluated by measuring the time taken to swallow 30 ml of water. The magnitude of tongue pressure was compared between the post-stroke patients and healthy subjects as well as between each measuring point in both groups. The relationship between tongue pressure and swallowing ability and that between tongue pressure and state of occlusal support were also examined.

The magnitude of tongue pressure in the post-stroke patients was smaller than that of the healthy subjects at the measuring points along the median line (Welch test, p < 0.05), larger in the non-paralysed side than in the paralysed side (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05), and was influenced by swallowing ability and occlusal support (Welch test, p < 0.05).

Measurement of the magnitude of tongue pressure shows promise as a simple, non-invasive and quantitative method by which tongue activity in post-stroke patients, in whom swallowing ability is a concern, could be evaluated.