Impact of Lingual Endurance Exercise on Rehabilitation of Swallowing Impairments After Ischemic Stroke
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a tongue endurance exercise program can improve swallowing function in adults with dysphagia after a stroke. It also aims to explore how this exercise may affect brain structure and connectivity involved in swallowing. The main questions it aims to answer are: Primary Aim: Does lingual endurance exercise improve swallowing function compared to a sham therapy? Secondary Aim: Does lingual endurance exercise lead to changes in brain structure or neuroplasticity, as measured by MRI? Researchers will compare a group receiving tongue endurance exercises to a sham therapy group to see whether the treatment improves tongue function, swallowing. Participants will: * Complete a baseline swallowing assessment and MRI * Be randomly assigned to either the lingual exercise or sham therapy group * Complete 8 weeks of home-based tongue exercise therapy * Return for follow-up swallowing assessments * A subgroup of participants will complete a pre-treatment and post-treatment MRI.
• 1\) 3-6 months since most recent diagnosis of ischemic, confirmed from clinical imaging) with or without small hemorrhagic transformation (HI-1)
• 2\) Have some indication of on-going swallowing issues
• 3\) English Speaking