LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:10 October 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Analysis of Short Term Phonatory Stability in Individuals with
Parkinson’s Disease

Dr. Santosh Kumar, Ph.D. (Speech and Hearing)
Mereen Rose Babu, MASLP
Sapna Sudhakaran (BASLPS)

Abstract

The voice abnormality in individuals with Parkinson’s disease reflects impaired neuromuscular coordination. Phonatory stability in individuals with Parkinson’s disease can be measured acoustically for identifying the voice abnormalities. In the current study, phonatory stability in individuals with Parkinson’s disease was measured through acoustic analysis by using PRAAT software. The values of acoustic parameters were compared between normals and individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The parameters assessed were mainly F0, jitter, and shimmer parameters. The results of the study indicated higher jitter and shimmer parameters in individuals with Parkinson’s disease as compared to that of normals. Hence, it can be concluded that voice abnormalities are reflected in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

Key words: Phonatory stability, Acoustic analysis, Parkinson’s disease

Introduction

Dysarthria is a group of motor speech disorder caused by weakness, paralysis, slowness, incoordination or sensoryloss in a muscle group responsible for speech. Hypokinetic dysarthria is a type of dysarthria which is mainly associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is a neurodegenerative disease affecting the central nervous system. Nowadays, in the elderly population, who are above the age of fifty, the occurrence of PD is found to be more common (Fahn, 2010).

In PD, degradation of dopaminergic neurons of basal ganglia in the nervous system has been found as the main causative factor for its occurrence. This can lead to impairment in motor movements, initially affecting the limb movements. While considering the movement of limbs Lees, Hardy, and Revesz (2009) found that the most common symptom related to movement in individuals with Parkinson’s disease are bradykinesia (slowness of movement), resting tremor, rigidity and difficulty in walking.

As stated earlier, the occurrence of PD will lead to inappropriate neuromuscular control in individual, which tend to affect on coordination of muscles responsible for production of speech, voice, articulation, and swallowing. Hence, the speech of these individuals are characterized by monotony of pitch and loudness, reduced loudness and stress, imprecise articulation, variable rate and short rushes of speech, inappropriate silences, and a harsh and breathy voice (Darley, Aronson, & Brown, 1969).

It is reported in literature that alteration in speech production, such as imprecise articulation, de¬creased rate of speech, reduced vocal intensity and low¬er variation of fundamental frequency, are observed in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (Azevedo, Cardoso & Reis, 2003). These findings were similar to that reported by Ramig, Fox and Sapir, (2008) indicating speech impairment like hypophonia, monotone and dysarthria in individuals with PD. Hanson, Geratt, and Ward (1984) found that the voice quality was more breathy or rough in individuals with PD. The intonation in speech was reported to be monotonous in individuals with PD and this was observed as a reduction in pitch and loudness variation (Aronson, 1990).

The studies have indicated that voice abnormalities are present in individuals with PD. However, there have been limited studies regarding the voice abnormalities in individuals with PD. Thus, obtaining the acoustic parameters that indicates phonatory stability, will add on to the limited Indian research regarding voice abnormalities in individuals with PD. This brings to the need of the present study of analyzing phonatory stability in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Santosh Kumar
Senior Lecturer
Nitte Institute of Speech and Hearing
Medical Science Complex,
Deralakatte
Mangalore – 575018
Karnataka
India
santoshaslp@gmail.com

Ms. Mereen Rose Babu
Lecturer
Nitte Institute of Speech and Hearing
Medical Science Complex,
Deralakatte
Mangalore – 575018
Karnataka
India
mereenrosebabu@gmail.com

Ms. Sapna Sudhakaran
Student
Nitte Institute of Speech and Hearing
Medical Science Complex,
Deralakatte
Mangalore – 575018
Karnataka
India
sappoos1@gmail.com
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