This study presents the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) examining the effects of two speech treatment approaches, LSVT LOUD and LSVT ARTIC, on voice quality in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Both treatments were identical in how intensive they were, but LSVT LOUD targeted healthy loudness, whereas LSVT ARTIC focused on articulation. Additionally, an untreated group of individuals with PD also participated in the study, and a group of 20 individuals without PD were included to examine differences in voice quality at pre-treatment.
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This study looked at speech and brain changes in individuals with Parkinson’s disease following two speech treatment approaches, matched for intensity of dosage (16, 1-hour individual sessions in one month) but differing on treatment target, loudness (LSVT LOUD) or articulation (LSVT ARTIC). A group of untreated individuals with Parkinson’s disease were also studied as a comparison group. All participants were evaluated at baseline, post-treatment (one month after baseline), and seven months after baseline to help identify both short-term and long-term changes.
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Based on this initial study, we have enough proof to continue to establish higher levels of treatment evidence that LSVT LOUD has a positive therapeutic effect on voice and speech in children with DS. We hope to conduct a larger treatment study and include a wider age-range of children and youth with DS.
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One key takeaway is that pre-treatment protocols can be designed and implemented to give children who are otherwise deemed unable to participate in LSVT LOUD a chance to train and prepare for the gold-standard protocol which may open the door to functional communication and the chance to have some control of their speech.
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Results showed that speech intelligibility of words in the presence of both noise conditions improved in participants with Parkinson’s who had LSVT LOUD compared to the groups that had LSVT ARTIC or no treatment. The ability to be understood can improve the quality of life for people with PD and this is really what the goal of any therapy should be, so it is exciting to be able to report these results.
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Combined with improvements to acoustic measures and communicative efficiency reported in previous studies, our findings suggest that SLPs’ patients with PD will experience improvements in speech communication and quality of life if treatment targeting voice is included in their patients’ care plan.
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Our results indicate that by focusing on a single target (healthy vocal loudness), clinicians may also observe positive therapeutic changes to articulatory function and intelligibility.
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When I was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease three years ago, my family had noticed a tremor in my right hand and changes in the way that I walked. I did not, however, notice any changes in my voice. What I did notice more and more, is how often my husband asked me to repeat myself! I was convinced he was going deaf.
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My name is Kevin, and I have been the headmaster of a large co-ed primary school in Zimbabwe for the past thirty years, ten of which I have had Parkinson’s. In February of 2017, I had Deep Brain Stimulation, and one of the side effects of this was that my speech became slurred and soft. My daughter, who is a speech and language pathologist, recommended that I have LSVT LOUD.
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“People noticed that I am more animated in my speech and my husband can hear me now!”
Interested in Learning how LSVT LOUD can help you improve your loudness, voice quality and speech clarity?
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