An oral nutritional supplement with TRPM8 agonists as a cooling flavor improved swallowing function in post-stroke patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Copper (Supplement), published as a randomized controlled trial.

Their aim was to evaluate the effect of oropharyngeal sensory stimulation on the VS and SSF in chronic PSOD patients using a cooling sensation flavoring (TRPM8 agonists) in an oral nutritional supplement (ONS) drink and comparing it with a control ONS.

Why It Was Studied

The researchers performed a prospective, crossover, interventional and open-label clinical study on 50 PSOD patients.

A saliva sample before and after the administration of control and active ONS' was collected to quantify substance P (SP) and calcitonin gen-related peptide (CGRP) by using ELISA.

Who Took Part

The study group was 50 patients.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults and older adults, both men and women.

Patients were randomized into two groups, which differed from each other according to the order in which the ONS were administered: (1) Group A (n = 25): 1st visit, cooling sensation (active) + 2nd visit, control; and (2) Group B (n = 25): 1st visit, control + 2nd visit, active.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, open-label and crossover study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Copper (Supplement) and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Being open-label, the Copper (Supplement) study did not mask who received what.

In the crossover set-up each of the patients took both Copper (Supplement) and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Deglutition Disorders, Deglutition, TRPM Cation Channels, Stroke and Dietary Supplements.

Author keywords: Involuntary swallowing, Neurostimulation, Swallowing disorders, Transient receptor potential channels and Voluntary swallowing.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, open-label and crossover study of Copper (Supplement) in 50 patients.

The publication is from 2026 (Scientific reports), a journal based in England.

More context: the Copper (Supplement) compound page, all human trials.