Exploring the Role of sEMG Monitoring of Facial and Cervical Muscles in Parkinson’s Disease Patients Undergoing Speech Therapy: A Feasibility Study

Background: Surface electromyography is emerging as a noninvasive tool to examine neurogenic dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of surface electromyography (sEMG) (acceptability, resource use, and safety), and explored changes in swallowing-related sEMG parameters following rehabilitation. Methods: Ten patients with mild to moderate PD (Hoehn Yahr 1–3) underwent clinical, respiratory, and swallowing assessments, including sEMG recordings of perioral (orbicularis oris), masticatory (masseter) and cervical muscles (submental/mylohyoid and infrahyoid group). Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, protocol completion, and adverse events. Exploratory sEMG measures comprised amplitude indices (root-mean-square, RMS; peak-to-peak, P2P range; area under curve, AUC) and activation time during saliva swallowing and continuous drinking tasks. Results: Nine out of 10 participants completed the protocol, and no adverse events were reported, indicating good acceptability and safety. Exploratory pre–post analyses showed reduced sEMG amplitude during saliva swallowing of orbicularis oris [median ΔP2P Range = −0.273 (p = 0.020), median ΔAUC = −0.145 (p = 0.027); RMS (median Δ = −0.427) (p = 0.074)] and a generalized prolongation of activation time during continuous sipping across recorded muscles. Conclusions: Multichannel sEMG assessment of swallowing muscles during speech therapy is feasible and safe in patients with PD. Exploratory signal changes warrant cautious interpretation and should be validated in larger rehabilitation-oriented studies.