About the NCVS Parkinson's Team

The goal of the NCVS Parkinson’s Team is to help make treatment of speech and voice a priority in the management of individuals with neurological disorders, through research and education. Over the past 10 years our efforts have focused primarily on the understanding and treatment of speech and voice disorders accompanying Parkinson’s disease.

Past and Present Research

Through research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH-NIDCD), the Office of Education (OE-NIDRR), and numerous private foundations, past and present members of the Parkinson’s Team have studied the effects of behavioral, surgical and pharmaceutical interventions on speech and voice disorders in Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders. Much of this research has centered around the effectiveness of intensive voice therapy (LSVT®) for improving speech and voice in PD. However, current efforts also extend to the study of non-speech behaviors, including swallow function and nonverbal communication.

Current projects include:

• The study of alternate speech therapies for Parkinson’s disease
• The study of modified intensity of voice treatment (low dose)
• Evaluation of computer-assisted speech treatment for Parkinson’s disease using a hand-held device
• Examination of acoustical markers of PD for earlier detection of the disease