Enhancing speech naturalness using respiratory treatment in individuals with Parkinson's disease
Abstract
Despite well-documented deficits in speech naturalness, there are few techniques available to enhance speech naturalness and intelligibility in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to enhance speech naturalness and intelligibility by improving respiratory support for speech in individuals with PD. Individuals with PD participated in four weeks of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) which is designed to directly enhance expiratory muscle strength. EMST is a home-based training program that does not rely on an individual's cognitive abilities. EMST resulted in physiologic improvements including maximum expiratory pressure, respiratory support for speech, and enhanced laryngeal function. These physiologic improvements were translated to significant improvements in voice quality and utterance length. Some improvements in subglottal pressure and vocal loudness were also noted, but these were more mixed. Physiologic improvements did not significantly impact stress and intonational patterns. Individual improvements and declines were observed in both stress and intonational patterns, but physiologic improvements as a result of EMST were not consistently related to changes in intonational patterns. This is the first study to show that EMST improves respiratory and laryngeal function during speech production in individuals with PD. Based on these data and previous literature, EMST is a non-invasive treatment program that significantly improves cough, swallow, and speech function in individuals with PD.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Huber, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Speech therapy
Off-Campus Purdue Users:
To access this dissertation, please log in to our
proxy server.