The purpose of this clinical trial is to determine whether the use of tDCS in dysphagia rehabilitation during the subacute phase of stroke assists in the recovery process while patients are still hospitalized. Patients aged 60 to 80 years who have suffered a stroke and are in the subacute phase of the disease, admitted to the hospital, will be recruited to receive tDCS application contralateral to the lesion for 10 sessions, combined with conventional speech-language therapy for swallowing rehabilitation. The primary question it aims to answer is whether the use of tDCS combined with swallowing rehabilitation accelerates recovery compared to conventional speech-language therapy alone.
Inclusion Criteria:
Inpatients at Hospital Regional Dr. Abelardo Santos. Aged 60 to 80 years. Diagnosis of neurogenic oropharyngeal dysphagia ranging from mild-to-moderate, moderate, to moderate-to-severe (Padovani et al., 2007).
Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with unilateral cortical lesion, confirmed by brain imaging (Computed Tomography or Magnetic Resonance Imaging).
Subacute phase of stroke (from day 8 post-ictus up to 6 months after stroke onset).
Hemodynamically stable. Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13, enabling participation in the intervention protocol.
Signed Informed Consent Form provided by the participant or their legally authorized representative.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients who underwent surgical intervention due to stroke. Presence of electronic devices or metallic implants in the skull or cervical region.
History of recent seizures or uncontrolled epilepsy. Presence of other neurological diseases associated with stroke (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease).
History of multiple previous strokes. Dysphagia resulting from other etiologies, such as cervical trauma or head and neck neoplasms.
Cognitive impairment preventing proper participation in the proposed intervention protocol.
Occurrence of any allergic reaction or adverse effect related to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
Sham tDCS
Active tDCS
Belém, Pará 66811-000., Brazil
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