Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Two-week EMST on Dysphagia in Parkinsonian Patients

This is an interventional therapy study designed to evaluate the efficacy of a two-week intervention, i.e. training with a specialized exhalation training device (called expiratory muscle strength training; EMST150 or EMST75; Aspire Products, Gainsville, FL) on swallowing function in patients with neurodegenerative Parkinsonian disorders. This study involves a routine endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) to diagnose dysphagia before and after the intervention. Between the two FEES, a two-week exhalation training program takes place, which the patients perform independently following instructions from a speech and lanuage pathologist. In addition demographic and disease-specific data and two questionnaires (Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire for Parkinson's disease patients, SDQ-PD, and Swallowing specific Quality Of Life Questionnaire SWAL-QoL) are recorded.