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Pharyngeal Exercise (Plus Protein)

NYU Langone Health · with National Institute on Aging (NIA) · NCT05963113

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 65+ · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
120
US sites recruiting
2
Study start
May 22, 2024
Record last updated
June 3, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The swallowing muscles are prone to decreased strength and function as part of the natural aging process which can lead to difficulty swallowing, malnutrition, and frailty. Exercise and nutrition are powerful stimulators of muscular change. The proposed research will investigate the effectiveness of a 12-week proactive regimen of swallowing exercises (with or without daily protein supplement drinks) to improve the composition, force, and physiology of the swallowing muscles and explore the relationship to overall health and physical function in 80 community-dwelling older adults. Each participant will serve as their own control for 12 weeks before being randomized to complete swallowing exercises alone or swallowing exercises with protein drinks.

Being studied: Pharyngeal Swallowing Exercises; Protein Supplementation; MRI

Conditions: Pre-Frail Older Adults

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Participants must be 65 years of age or older.
  • Participants must score a 1 or 2 on the FRAIL scale OR a 4 or greater on the Strength, Assistance in Walking, Rise from a Chair, Climb Stairs and Falls (SARC-F) Questionnaire.
  • Participants must score 26 or greater on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
  • Willingness to participate in the study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Known structural or neurological causes of dysphagia.
  • Cannot consume high levels of protein (Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3 or higher).
  • Contraindications to 3T whole body MRI scanners (e.g., pacemaker, cerebral aneurysm clip, cochlear implant, presence of shrapnel in strategic locations, metal in the eye, claustrophobia, or other problems).

Recruiting US locations

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Sonja Molfenter · 212-992-7694 · Smm16@nyu.edu
  • Maria Travino Sampler · Maria.TrivinoSamper@nyulangone.org
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Pharyngeal Exercise (Plus Protein) (NCT05963113) | Bored Studies