Effects of Varying Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation Pulse Duration on Swallowing Kinematics in Healthy Adults

Prior research in swallowing physiology has suggested that using submental transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) with short pulse duration (PD) (300 μs) may enhance the impact on deep extrinsic tongue muscles, thereby pulling the tongue down during swallowing. However, it was unclear whether that same TES protocol could have a differential impact on hyolaryngeal kinematics and timing. This study aimed to compare the effect of submental TES with varying PDs on anterior and superior hyolaryngeal kinematics and timing both at rest and during swallowing in healthy adults. Twenty-four healthy adults between the ages of 22 and 77 participated in this study. Anterior and superior hyolaryngeal excursion magnitude and duration measures were collected using videofluoroscopic swallowing study. Each subject swallowed three 10 ml pudding trials under three conditions: no TES, TES with short PD (300 μs), and TES with long PD (700 μs). TES was delivered using two-channel surface electrodes in the submental area. In both short and long PD conditions, TES amplitude was gradually increased until participants reached their maximum tolerance level. Videofluoroscopic data were analyzed using VideoPad Video Editor and Image J programs. One-way repeated measure ANOVAs were conducted to identify within-subject effect of TES condition. For hyoid movement, TES with short PD selectively placed the hyoid bone on a more anterior position at rest and reduced anterior hyoid excursion during swallowing compared with the no TES condition. Regarding laryngeal movement, both TES protocols resulted in the larynx taking on a more anterior position at rest and reduced anterior laryngeal excursions during swallowing when compared with the no TES condition. Varying PDs had no significant effect on the superior hyoid and laryngeal movements at rest and during swallowing. Both TES protocols induced shorter hyoid elevation duration during swallowing Findings suggest that though both TES protocols demonstrated a comparable impact on reducing anterior laryngeal excursions, the TES protocol with short PD had an enhanced effect on reducing anterior hyoid excursion during swallowing. This reduced range of motion may result from stimulating the deep submental muscles, which primarily place the hyoid and larynx into a more forward position before swallowing onset. Overall, the TES protocol with short PD may have an increased benefit in facilitating swallowing in patients with dysphagia.