Rehabilitation of swallowing disorders in patients with schizophrenia: A pilot study on efficacy and feasibility

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of swallowing disorder rehabilitation in patients with schizophrenia experiencing dysphagia and hypersalivation. Patients and methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. Forty-seven patients with schizophrenia with dysphagia were screened between April 2018 and January 2020. After exclusions due to noncompliance, seven patients (4 males, 3 females; mean age: 44.28 ± 21.81 years; range, 19 to 79 years) completed the study. Swallowing was assessed with the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), salivary issues with the Saliva Control Severity and Frequency Scale, and mouth opening with trismus measurement before and after a 12-session rehabilitation program (3 sessions a week). The program included chewing training, oral motor exercises, laryngeal mobilization, thermal tactile stimulation, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Results: After treatment, EAT-10, saliva severity, saliva frequency, and trismus scores significantly improved compared to baseline ( p < 0.05). Disease history, education, and physical activity did not affect outcomes ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: Swallowing disorder rehabilitation effectively improves swallowing and saliva control in dysphagic patients with schizophrenia.