Clinical Efficacy and Mechanism of tDCS for Dysphagia in PD

The IS200 intelligent electrical stimulator, manufactured in Chengdu, Sichuan, will be used. The electrode pads are 4cm × 6cm in size. The anode of the electrode pad will be placed on the swallowing sensorimotor cortex (S1/M1). The specific positioning will follow the international 10-20 electroencephalographic system: the left S1/M1 area is located at the midpoint of the line connecting C3 and T3 in the left hemisphere; the right S1/M1 area is located at the midpoint of the line connecting C4 and T4 in the right hemisphere. The cathode will be placed on the contralateral supraorbital margin. The S1/M1 areas of the left and right hemispheres will be stimulated alternately, with a current intensity of 1.6mA. The treatment will be given once daily, 20 minutes per session, 5 times a week, for 2 consecutive weeks, totaling 10 sessions (5 sessions for each hemisphere).

"1. Training for perioral muscles, tongue sensory and motor functions, including ice cotton swab stimulation, gustatory stimulation, tongue muscle movement training, etc.;~2. Airway protection training, including Mendelsohn maneuver, supraglottic swallow training, etc.;"

According to previous literature, the electrode positions and treatment frequency of sham tDCS will be the same as those of real tDCS. The current will be adjusted to 0.05mA.