Embedded Files
Optimising Neuromodulation for Swallowing: Factors, Variability and Metaplasticity
Optimising Neuromodulation for Swallowing: Factors, Variability and Metaplasticity
Ivy Cheng, PhD
Ivy Cheng, PhD
Unit of Human Communication, Learning, and Development, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Centre for Gastrointestinal Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Biography
Dr. Ivy Cheng is an Assistant Professor in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Hong Kong and a Visiting Professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. She serves as General Secretary of the European Society of Swallowing Disorders (ESSD) and as Associate Editor for the journal Dysphagia.
She earned her PhD from the University of Hong Kong and completed postdoctoral training in the neurophysiology and neuromodulation of swallowing at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. In 2023, she was awarded the Women in Research (WiRe) Fellowship at the University of Münster, Germany, during which she pursued additional postdoctoral training in neuroimaging and neuromodulation for swallowing.
Her research focuses on applying neurostimulation techniques to promote neuroplasticity in dysphagia rehabilitation. She is strongly committed to advancing evidence-based clinical practice and actively engages in public education and awareness initiatives related to dysphagia care.
Email: ikycheng@hku.hk
Abstract
Swallowing is a complex sensorimotor process mediated by the central nervous system. The critical roles of sensory and cortical input in this process are well recognised. In recent years, research on treatments for neurogenic dysphagia has increasingly focused on neuromodulation approaches. These approaches can be classified into two main types: central neuromodulation, which aims to enhance cortical input to the swallowing system through non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), and peripheral neuromodulation, which aims to increase sensory afferent input through stimulation of peripheral nerves and sensory receptors. Although clinical studies have shown promising outcomes, certain challenges remain.
A major challenge is the substantial inter-individual variability in response to neuromodulation treatments. This talk will review recent advances in understanding the patient-related and intervention-related factors that influence treatment outcomes, as well as emerging strategies to mitigate such variability and optimise efficacy.
One promising strategy involves harnessing metaplasticity in the human swallowing system. Recent findings on the effects of preconditioning the pharyngeal motor cortex with NIBS prior to central or peripheral neuromodulation will be presented. Neurophysiological and functional neuroimaging studies demonstrate that cortical preconditioning can shape the responsiveness of the swallowing system to subsequent neuromodulation. The clinical implications and the potential for translation of preconditioned neuromodulation protocols will be discussed.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse