Comparing electroacupuncture frequencies for swallowing problems after stroke
Compares 2 Hz, 50 Hz and 100 Hz electroacupuncture in people with post-stroke swallowing problems.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Effects of Different-Frequency Electroacupuncture on Suprahyoid Muscles in Post-Stroke Dysphagia: Efficacy and Neural Networks
Key facts
- Where
- Hangzhou, ChinaSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 80 years old?
Source: NCT07496762, who can take part
Where in China
- the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhou, ChinaNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Kaili Chen
- Trial code
- NCT07496762
- Record updated
- 24 September 2026
- Original description
This randomized controlled study in patients with post-stroke dysphagia aims to determine the optimal stimulation frequency of electroacupuncture of the suprahyoid muscles and to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms. Participants will be assigned to low-frequency (2 Hz), medium-frequency (50 Hz), or high-frequency (100 Hz) electroacupuncture groups. Therapeutic efficacy will be assessed using the Kubota water-drinking test, videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), and ultrasonography to identify the optimal frequency. In parallel, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) will be used to evaluate changes in fiber connectivity between swallowing-related cortical regions (bilateral precentral gyrus, insula, supramarginal gyrus, and frontal lobe) and the medullary nucleus tractus solitarius, thereby exploring neural network remodeling and providing mechanistic evidence to inform clinical practice.Read full original descriptionShow less
Effects of Different-Frequency Electroacupuncture on Suprahyoid Muscles in Post-Stroke Dysphagia: Efficacy and Neural Networks
This randomized controlled study in patients with post-stroke dysphagia aims to determine the optimal stimulation frequency of electroacupuncture of the suprahyoid muscles and to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms. Participants will be assigned to low-frequency (2 Hz), medium-frequency (50 Hz), or high-frequency (100 Hz) electroacupuncture groups. Therapeutic efficacy will be assessed using the Kubota water-drinking test, videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), and ultrasonography to identify the optimal frequency. In parallel, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) will be used to evaluate changes in fiber connectivity between swallowing-related cortical regions (bilateral precentral gyrus, insula, supramarginal gyrus, and frontal lobe) and the medullary nucleus tractus solitarius, thereby exploring neural network remodeling and providing mechanistic evidence to inform clinical practice.
Inclusion: Diagnosis: Patients diagnosed with cerebral infarction confirmed by CT or MRI; Dysphagia Screening: Presence of varying degrees of dysphagia as screened by the Water Swallow Test (WST); Clinical Status: Conscious and stable vital signs, with the ability to cooperate with the treatment; Age: Aged between 18 and 80 years; Consent: Signed informed consent form obtained from the patient or their legal representative.
Exclusion: MRI Contraindications: Patients with metal implants or pacemakers in the body (contraindications for MRI); Bleeding Risk: Patients with bleeding tendencies or coagulation disorders; Blood Pressure: Patients with uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure > 180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 120 mmHg); Organ Failure: Patients with severe failure of vital organs (e.g., heart, liver, or kidney failure); Disease Severity: Patients with critical or life-threatening stroke conditions; Cooperation: Patients unable to cooperate with the treatment due to severe cognitive impairment, aphasia, or other reasons; Dysphagia Etiology: Patients with dysphagia caused by etiologies other than cerebral infarction.