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Abstract
Introduction
SPEAK OUT! with The LOUD Crowd is a standardized speech therapy program typically consisting of 12 one-on-one treatments and ongoing weekly group maintenance sessions for patients with dysarthria due to Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is based upon the hypothesis that increased attention to speech, which is a goal-directed motor activity, may compensate for the impairment in automatic sequential motor behaviors often demonstrated in patients with PD. We present results on the 1-year response to treatment.
Methods
Forty individuals with idiopathic PD received SPEAK OUT! delivered in 12 one-on-one 40-min treatment sessions 3 times per week for four consecutive weeks in addition to ongoing group maintenance sessions called The LOUD Crowd. Evaluations occurred 3 times at baseline, within one and six weeks after completion of the SPEAK OUT! sessions (N = 40) and 1-year later (N = 35). Assessments included mean speech intensity and intonation from reading and monolog, the voice quality acoustic measure called cepstral peak prominence (CPP), and scores on the voice-related quality of life questionnaire.
Results
The significant improvements achieved in all outcome measures from baseline to completion of SPEAK OUT! were maintained 1-year later. Participation throughout the year in regular group maintenance sessions (The LOUD Crowd) was positively correlated with level of improvement at 1 year for all measures except patient perception of voice.
Conclusions
These long-term data contribute evidence of the effectiveness of this speech therapy program for improving communication for individuals with PD and emphasize the importance of regular and ongoing group sessions to sustain therapeutic gains.
Disclosure statement
Alison Behrman is an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Parkinson Voice Project. Jennifer Cody was a paid employee of Parkinson Voice Project during the conduct of this study. Samantha Elandary is the CEO of Parkinson Voice Project and a member of its Board of Directors. Shilpa Chitnis is an unpaid member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Parkinson Voice Project.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Alison Behrman
Alison Behrman, PhD, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and Associate Professor in the Dept. of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at Lehman College of City University of New York. She teaches voice disorders, motor speech disorders, and anatomy & physiology. She has authored Speech and Voice Science and Exercises for Voice Therapy (both through Plural Publishing) and numerous peer-reviewed articles. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Parkinson Voice Project.
Jennifer Cody
Jennifer Cody, MA, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist specializing in the treatment of Parkinson’s-related speech and communication disorders for the majority of her career as a speech-language pathologist. She was affiliated with the Parkinson Voice Project from 2009 through 2019.
Shilpa Chitnis
Shilpa Chitnis, MD, PhD is Professor of Neurology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is a clinician-educator with a focus on movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and essential tremor.
Samantha Elandary
Samantha Elandary, MA CCC-SLP is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Parkinson Voice Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to speech treatment for patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She holds a BA in communication disorders and English and an MA in speech-language pathology from the University of North Texas. Elandary has worked exclusively with individuals with Parkinson’s for the past 20 years, specializing in both individual and group treatment for this patient population.