Parkinson’s Disease and LSVT: EFFECTS ON BRAIN FUNCTION, SWALLOWING AND ARTICULATION

Parkinson’s disease (PD), a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, is noted for voice and speech deficits, classified as hypokinetic dysarthria. Dysarthric speech is characterized by vowels that are centralized due, in part, to the limited range of movement of the speech articulators. PD results in disruption of internal cues or trigger of movement. 89% patients with Parkinson’s have disordered speech while only 4% receive speech treatment (LSVT Pamphlet). Countryman and her colleagues (1997) maintain that limited thoracic excursion and problems coordinating the respiratory and laryngeal systems reduce the respiratory volumes needed for speech and contribute to low vocal volume and short rushes of speech typical symptoms in PD patients.