Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation and intermittent theta-burst stimulation improve deglutition and swallowing reproducibility in elderly patients with dysphagia

Background: Dysphagia in the elderly, known as presbydysphagia, has become a relevant public health problem in several countries. Swallowing disorders may be a consequence of different neurological disorders (secondary presbydysphagia) or the expression of the aging process itself (primary presbydysphagia). We aimed to test the therapeutic potential of two different non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques in subjects with primary or secondary presbydysphagia. Methods: A blinded randomized controlled trial with crossover design was carried out in 42 patients, randomly assigned to anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) or intermittent theta-burst stimulation (TBS) grou…