Efficacy of Voice Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

This is a research project designed to look at various areas of function, such as speech, voice, swallowing, related communication behaviors and body movement of individuals with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) and to investigate how two different forms of speech therapy affect these areas.

We are asking up to 620 individuals to participate in this study in several different ways. Specifically, there is an experimental group (ExpG), questionnaire group (QG) and communication partner group (CPG). The ExpG will be composed of individuals with PD and the healthy age and gender matched controls (HC)(Up to 140 total will be asked, 80 expected to complete the study). The QG will include the significant others, family members, and friends of the ExpG (Up to 140 will be asked, 80 expected to complete the study). The CPG will be made up of friends of the ExpG (Up to 340 will be asked, 240 expected to complete the study).Some individuals in the ExpG may not pass the initial screenings. As a result, their QG and CPG will no longer need to participate. Therefore, the actual number of individuals who will complete the study is expected to be much less.

There are 10 PHASES of this study. The initial PHASES (1,2,3) are screening PHASES to determine if the individual is a good candidate for this study. PHASES 4, 6 and 10 are PHASES of recording data and PHASE 5 is treatment. PHASES 7, 8 and 9 are additional assessments. The total duration of the Subjects (Ss) participation from the time Ss sign the consent to the completion of the last phase (PHASE 10) is approximately10 months.

PHASE 1: ENT/CLINICAL VOICE AND SPEECH SCREEN PHASE 2: SWALLOW SCREEN AND ASSESSMENT PHASE 3: THINKING SKILLS SCREEN AND ASSESSMENT After the completion of PHASES 1-3, the research team will look at the data collected and determine if the Ss meet the criteria to participate in this study. If asked to participate, Ss will be assigned to one of four groups and then continue with PHASE 4.

PHASE 4: INITIAL DATA RECORDINGS All of the procedures in PHASE 4 will be done two times before the treatment PHASE 5. Each recording will take approximately 2-2.5 hours.