Electrical pharyngeal stimulation increases substance P level in saliva

Background Substance P ( SP ) is a neuropeptide known to enhance the swallow response. It likely acts as a neurotransmitter in the pharyngeal mucosa in response to local stimuli. It has been proposed that dysphagia after stroke may be related to reduced levels of SP , which therefore constitutes a therapeutic target. In the present pilot study, we evaluated whether electrical pharyngeal stimulation ( EPS ), a neuromodulation device to enhance...