A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Physical and Mental Lingual Exercise for Healthy Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Motor Control
• Speech and Language Pathology

Background:

• Motor imagery (MI) combined with physical exercise enhances motor outcomes.
• Lingual strengthening is crucial for functional swallowing in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of adding mental practice with motor imagery (MP-MI) to lingual strengthening exercises in healthy older adults.
• To determine if combined MP-MI and physical lingual exercise improves swallowing pressures.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study with 29 healthy older adults assigned to four groups: physical lingual exercise, physical and MP-MI lingual exercise, MP-MI lingual exercise, or control (placebo).
• Intervention lasted 6 weeks, with three sessions daily, three days per week.
• Maximum isometric pressure (MIP) and regular effort saliva swallowing (RESS) pressures were measured at baseline and weeks 2, 4, and 6.

Main Results:

• The MP-MI/Physical exercise group showed significant improvements in both MIP (p=0.003) and RESS (p=0.009) from baseline to week 6.
• The MP-MI only group also showed a significant improvement in RESS (p=0.04).
• Increased swallowing pressures demonstrated spontaneous carryover when mental and physical exercises were combined.

Conclusions:

• Including an MP-MI component in lingual exercise programs may enhance functional swallowing improvements in older adults.
• This combined approach is a promising strategy for preventative and rehabilitative interventions in gerontology.
• Further research is warranted to explore the full potential of MP-MI for swallowing enhancement.