Acupuncture for Poststroke Dysphagia: An NTS‐Centered Hypothesis‐Generating Framework Linking the Brainstem Swallowing Network, Neuroimmune Regulation, and Vagal Anti‐Inflammatory Signaling
Wei Li, Lebin Liu, Yingying Tu, Chongjiu Gong, Xiao Ran, Jiuguo Pei · 2026
Read Acupuncture for Poststroke Dysphagia: An NTS‐Centered Hypothesis‐Generating Framework Linking the Brainstem Swallowing Network, Neuroimmune Regulation, and Vagal Anti‐Inflammatory Signaling by Wei Li, Lebin Liu, Yingying Tu, Chongjiu Gong, Xiao Ran, Jiuguo Pei (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13586659.txt.
Description
Wei Li and five co-authors offer a theory paper from 2026 on acupuncture for swallowing problems after stroke. Trouble swallowing is common after a stroke and can cause choking and lung infections. The authors argue the problem may stem not just from damaged motor paths but from stress on the brainstem network that runs swallowing.
Their review pulls together work on that network, on swelling in the brain after stroke, and on a nerve that calms inflammation. A brainstem hub that handles taste and gut signals sits at the center of their model. They propose that acupuncture may help by easing swelling and steadying the network's background state. They are clear this is a hypothesis, not proof, since most of the evidence comes from stroke studies that did not measure swallowing.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Wei Li, Lebin Liu, Yingying Tu, Chongjiu Gong, Xiao Ran, Jiuguo Pei |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 69 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |