Mimic Muscle Volume, Central Facial Palsy Severity and Dysphagia

70 stroke patients with central facial paralysis who were included in the rehabilitation program at Istanbul Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital will be included and their demographic data such as age, gender, marital status, education level, body mass index, stroke etiologies will be questioned and used with the House-Brackmann scale. Involvement levels, facial nerve thickness (right/left), depressor labi inferior, depressor anguli oris, buccinator and risorius muscles will be evaluated. The data obtained will be correlated with total dysphagia score and facial disability index.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of stroke and presence of unilateral central facial paralysis,
• Agreeing to participate in the study,
• Cognitive competence to understand the test instructions,
• Presence of communication skills to respond to the test instructions.

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of previous facial paralysis or a neurological disease other than stroke that will cause central paralysis,
• bilateral involvement
• illiteracy, refusal to participate in the study,
• jaw joint problem,
• surgical intervention in the facial area that will affect ultrasound measurements,
• infected open wound.