Understand Me for Life: Using Noise-augmented Automatic Speech Recognition to Improve Intelligibility in Parkinson's Disease
Teachers College, Columbia University
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether noise-augmented feedback using automatic speech recognition improves intelligibility and social participation in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The main questions the investigators will address are: Does noise-augmented feedback lead to increased intelligibility, as measured by transcription accuracy scores? Does a self-managed speech protocol lead to increased social participation, as measured by the Communicative Participation Item Bank and the Communicative Effectiveness Index questionnaires? Participants will: Receive 2-4 initial speech assessments in-person in our lab. Engage in speech treatment sessions at home using their phone and computer four days a week for four weeks. Four of those sessions will be directly monitored online by a speech-language pathologist. The rest of the sessions are completed by the participant. Come to the lab for two post-treatment assessments following completion of treatment. Come to the lab six months after treatment completion for an additional assessment.
Description
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether noise-augmented feedback using automatic speech recognition improves intelligibility and social participation in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Data collection will be face-to-face at a convenient time for participants. The screening and assessment sessions will take place in the Communication, Technology, and Language Diversity Lab (Room 952a), on the 9th floor of the 528 Building at Teachers College, Columbia University (525W 120th St, New York, NY 10027). Treatment sessions will be conducted independently by the participant in the…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 50–80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants will qualify for the study if: * They are 50-80 years old, * They have a medical diagnosis of PD, * They are within stages I-IV of Hoehn \& Yahr Scale, * Their antiparkinsonian medication schedule is stable, * They present with mild to moderate dysarthria, * They score ≥ 25 in the MMSE, * They score ≤ 24 in the BDI-III. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants will be excluded from the study if they: * Present with atypical parkinsonism at the time of screening (or other neurological condition), * Underwent neurosurgery treatment (DBS), * R…
Interventions
- BehavioralImmediate treatment
Participants will access a web-based app using their phone to record 100 sentences every treatment session. Noise-augmented feedback will be provided to increase accuracy of speech productions.
- BehavioralDeferred treatment
This group of participants will receive the same treatment as those in the immediate treatment group. The only difference is the timeline of treatment onset. Therefore, participants will access a web-based app using their phone to record 100 sentences every treatment session. Noise-augmented feedback will be provided to increase accuracy of speech productions.
Location
- Teachers College, Columbia UniversityNew York, New York