The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether noise-augmented feedback using automatic speech recognition improves intelligibility and social participation in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The main questions the investigators will address are:
Does noise-augmented feedback lead to increased intelligibility, as measured by transcription accuracy scores?
Does a self-managed speech protocol lead to increased social participation, as measured by the Communicative Participation Item Bank and the Communicative Effectiveness Index questionnaires?
Participants will:
Receive 2-4 initial speech assessments in-person in our lab. Engage in speech treatment sessions at home using their phone and computer four days a week for four weeks. Four of those sessions will be directly monitored online by a speech-language pathologist. The rest of the sessions are completed by the participant.
Come to the lab for two post-treatment assessments following completion of treatment.
Come to the lab six months after treatment completion for an additional assessment.
They are 50-80 years old,
They have a medical diagnosis of PD,
They are within stages I-IV of Hoehn & Yahr Scale,
Their antiparkinsonian medication schedule is stable,
Present with atypical parkinsonism at the time of screening (or other neurological condition),
Underwent neurosurgery treatment (DBS),
Received intensive voice-focused treatment less than three months prior to their involvement in the current study,
Present with any speech or voice pathology that is unrelated to PD.
Parallel
Immediate treatment
BehavioralParticipants will access a web-based app using their phone to record 100 sentences every treatment session. Noise-augmented feedback will be provided to increase accuracy of speech productions.
Deferred treatment
BehavioralThis group of participants will receive the same treatment as those in the immediate treatment group. The only difference is the timeline of treatment onset. Therefore, participants will access a web-based app using their phone to record 100 sentences every treatment session. Noise-augmented feedback will be provided to increase accuracy of speech productions.
Intelligibility
Transcription accuracy (% words correctly understood by listeners)
Social participation
Communicative Participation Item Bank questionnaire (10 questions, 0 = very much to 3 = not at all)
Social participation
Communication Effectiveness Index questionnaire (8 questions, 1 = not at all effective, 4 = very effective)
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Teachers College, Columbia University
Lead sponsor
Temple University
Collaborator
