TOPIC

Dysphagia research

Everything we have read on dysphagia. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

715 PAPERS · PAGE 15 OF 15 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPCohort2026Pharyngeal Dysphagia in Cancer: Characterizing Functional and Physiological Swallow Targets Across 12 Cancer Types.DysphagiaDysphagia is common across all 12 cancer types studied, but severity and the specific swallowing muscles affected differ by diagnosis. Multiple cancers including head and neck carried the highest rates of severe impairment. SLPs should expect different swallowing problems depending on cancer type.
• SLPPilot2026Quantitative assessment of geniohyoid before and after rehabilitation in stroke patients with dysphagia by ultrasound.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSix weeks of electrical stimulation to the throat muscles improved how far and how fast the geniohyoid muscle moved during swallowing in 30 stroke patients. Movement distance was no longer different from healthy adults, but speed and timing still were.
• SLPNarrative Review2026Enhancing the assessment of deglutition function in preterm infants with mechano-acoustic analysis and machine learning: a narrative review.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsRecording and analyzing swallowing sounds and vibrations in preterm infants is based on 12 small studies with no data on how well it detects swallowing problems and no normal reference values. It is not yet a validated clinical tool.
• SLPCohort2026Sleep quality and risk of oropharyngeal dysphagia in older people in intensive care units.CoDASNo significant link was found between poor sleep and dysphagia risk in older ICU patients. Poor sleep was, however, associated with greater daytime sleepiness. Choking was the most common swallowing complaint reported.
• SLPOther2026Swallowing After Open Partial Horizontal Laryngectomy Type IIa: A Quantitative Videofluoroscopic Analysis Using the Analysis of Swallowing, Physiology, Events, Kinematics, and Timing.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRAfter OPHLIIa surgery, 100 patients showed markedly reduced hyoid movement, poor pharyngeal constriction, and increased residue compared to healthy adults. Aspiration, when it occurred, was silent. Compensatory mechanisms like prolonged laryngeal closure were present but did not eliminate the risk.
• SLPSurvey2026Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Swallowing and Dysphagia: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among the Community Dwelling Adults of South India.International journal of language & communication disordersCommunity adults in Mangalore, India knew the basics of swallowing but could not name the professionals who treat it, missed key warning signs, and would give water to someone choking rather than perform first aid.
• SLPCohort2026Exploration of the associations between dysphagia, liquid intake restrictions, and comorbidities in acute stroke: a retrospective chart review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesLiquid intake restrictions in acute stroke tracked with aspiration pneumonia and UTI, but the authors attribute this to acutely ill patients receiving restrictions, not to the restrictions causing infection. The association is not evidence that thickened liquids or NPO status increases infection risk.
• SLPNarrative Review2025Asynchronous Telehealth for Dysphagia Management: Evidence, Possibilities, and Practical Examples.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsAsynchronous telehealth for dysphagia is a viable addition to in-person care. The strongest evidence cited is one study of 19 children with cerebral palsy showing substantial to excellent agreement between remote and in-person swallowing assessment. It cannot replace hands-on examination.
• SLPQualitative2026Food Service Professionals' Experiences of Accommodating Dietary Requests and Texture Modification.International journal of language & communication disordersAustralian food service professionals report almost no training in dysphagia or texture modification, and only 3 of 13 had ever received such a request. All in healthcare settings. Most say they would accommodate if given the knowledge, equipment, and advance notice.
• SLPSystematic Review2026The Influence of Liquid Consistency and Food Texture on Swallowing: A Systematic Review Update.DysphagiaThicker liquids and foods reduced penetration-aspiration in every one of 25 studies, but generally left more residue in the pharynx. At 5 ml volumes, thick liquids showed less residue than thin sips. The trade-off is volume-dependent.
• SLPQualitative2026Dysphagia Care Processes on Acute Stroke Wards: An Ethnographic Study of Barriers and Facilitators Relevant to Stroke-Associated Pneumonia.International journal of language & communication disordersOn acute stroke wards, swallowing recommendations were inconsistently implemented: wrong food or drink consistencies were served, oral care was skipped, and plans were not carried across units. Family members often stepped in to fill the gaps.
• SLPOther2026Pressure and Timing Differences Between Volitional and Non-Cued Saliva Swallows Measured with Pharyngeal High-Resolution Manometry.DysphagiaVolitional swallows produce significantly higher pressures than non-cued saliva swallows in the velopharynx, tongue base, and upper esophageal sphincter, but not in the hypopharynx. For SLPs reading pharyngeal manometry, the two swallow types are not interchangeable in those regions.
• SLPCohort2026Patient-reported voice and swallowing outcomes and their impact on quality of life in the late postoperative period following total thyroidectomy.CoDASWomen 6+ months after total thyroidectomy still report significant voice and swallowing symptoms, with fatigue and mental health the most affected quality-of-life areas. Voice symptoms dominate over swallowing. These patients may need ongoing SLP assessment well past the typical recovery window.
• SLPOther2026Clinical validation of the RaDI oropharyngeal dysphagia screening tool in older adults.CoDASA 9-question dysphagia screening questionnaire (RaDI) correctly flagged 75% of real swallowing problems and 75% of normal swallows in 52 older adults tested against endoscopy. A negative score does not rule out dysphagia. Clinical assessment is still needed.
• SLPPilot2026The Right to Food for Children With Cerebral Palsy in South Africa: Examining Nutritional Access and Structural Barriers.Child: care, health and developmentIn 9 South African families with children with CP, caregivers reported that store-bought foods often didn't match their child's swallowing needs, and the disability grant fell short. Feeding plans should start from what the family can actually buy and prepare.