389 – Respiratory–Swallow Coordination in Parkinson’s: What the Research Actually Shows

In this episode of Swallow Your Pride, Theresa sits down with Dr. Rabab Rangwala, PhD, CCC-SLP, to explore the science behind respiratory–swallow coordination in Parkinson’s disease and what it means for clinical practice.

They dive into how breathing patterns can influence swallowing safety, why patients with Parkinson’s may not fully perceive their swallowing impairments, and what recent research reveals about the relationship between patient-reported symptoms and instrumental findings. Dr. Rangwala also shares how her clinical experience shaped her research questions and why instrumental assessment plays a critical role, while still recognizing real-world access barriers.

This conversation bridges neuroscience and bedside care, offering practical insights to help medical SLPs strengthen their clinical clarity and better serve individuals with neurologic disease.

Get the references and special links to articles mentioned here: https://syppodcast.com/389

Dr. Rabab Rangwala is a speech-language pathologist and postdoctoral scholar at University of California, San Francisco. Her research focuses on the neural and behavioral control of swallowing and speech across healthy and clinical populations. Her work in dysphagia examines respiratory–swallow coordination, and objective assessment of swallowing impairments using wearable sensors, particularly in individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other neurologic conditions. In parallel, she conducts speech neuroscience research using neuroimaging, psychophysics, and computational modeling to understand how the brain supports complex motor behaviors such as speech production.
By integrating clinical insight with neuroscience and quantitative methods, Dr. Rangwala’s work seeks to improve our understanding of speech and swallowing disorders, with the goal of informing healthcare delivery, guiding treatment decisions, and ultimately improving patient quality of life.

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