Exercise-Based Dysphagia Interventions in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Scoping Review

Author: Ydalia Castro

Field of Study: Speech and Language Pathology

Faculty Mentors: Sundeep Venkateson, Reethee Antony

Easel: 111

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) leads to progressive swallowing dysfunction resulting from cognitive decline and neuromuscular incoordination. While mealtime environment and feeding assistance have been studied, there is limited synthesis of speech-language pathology–led behavioral or exercise-based dysphagia interventions in AD specifically. This scoping review navigates what SLP-led behavioral or exercise-based interventions have been described to manage dysphagia, and what their treatment characteristics, measured outcomes, and implementation considerations for adults with Alzheimer's Dysphagia are. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science. The combined boolean keywords used involved Alzheimer disease, dysphagia, intervention, treatment, therap*, rehabilitation, exercise, training, and behavioral. The boolean keywords excluded involved feeding assistance, mealtime environment, appetite, nutrition-only, pediatric, child, and infant. This review is currently in the process of completing data analysis. This scoping review will inform SLPs working with the dysphagia in Alzheimer's population on recent advances on interventions.