Task-Based Profile of Vocal Intensity Decline in Parkinson’s Disease

Vol. 57, No. 1, 2005

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Original Paper

Task-Based Profile of Vocal Intensity Decline in Parkinson's Disease
Kristin M. Rosen^a, Raymond D. Kent^a, Joseph R. Duffy^b

^aWaisman Center, Madison, Wisc., and
^bDepartment of Neurology, Division of Speech Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Folia Phoniatr Logop 2005;57:28-37 (DOI: 10.1159/000081959)

Key Words

Dysphonia
Parkinson's disease
Vocal intensity decay
Hypokinetic dysarthria

Abstract

This study examines intensity decay in the phonation of persons with Parkinson's disease (PD). The decline in vocal intensity (determined by linear regression of the intensity envelope) was compared across the following tasks: vowel prolongation, syllable repetition (diadochokinesis, DDK), isolated sentences and conversation. In contrast to previous studies, PD speakers demonstrated no significant differences in intensity decline from healthy speakers in vowel prolongation. The vocal intensity of speakers with PD declined more rapidly than that of controls in DDK tasks. While intensity slopes in conversation were more variable in both groups, some participants with PD exhibited abrupt changes in intensity. Results indicate that the DDK is particularly useful for describing intensity decay associated with PD. However, considering the inconsistent group differences across tasks, and the discrepant findings from previous studies, intensity decay is not a robust symptom of PD.

Author Contacts

Kristin M. Rosen
Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705 (USA)
Tel. +1 608 263 2504, Fax +1 608 263 7710
E-Mail rosen@waisman.wisc.edu

Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 10
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 34

Medline Abstract (ID 15655339)

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