Title:Relations between Sensorimotor Integration and Speech Disorders in Parkinson's Disease
VOLUME: 15 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Lymarie Millian-Morell, Tomas Lopez-Alburquerque, Andrea Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Ricardo Gomez-Nieto, Juan Carro, Juan J.G. Meilan, Francisco Martinez-Sanchez, Consuelo Sancho and Dolores E. Lopez*
Affiliation:Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Department of Psychology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y Leon (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca
Keywords:Phonatory system, fundamental frequency, sensorimotor gating, speech measures, neuromascular disorders, Parkinson's
disease.
Abstract:Background: Sensorimotor integration mechanisms can be affected by many factors, among which
are those involving neuromuscular disorders. Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by well-known motor
symptoms, among which lately have been included motor speech deficits. Measurement of the acoustic startle
reflex (ASR) and its modulations (prepulse inhibition and prepulse facilitation, PPI and PPF respectively) represent
a simple and quantifiable tool to assess sensorimotor function. However, it remains unknown whether
measures of the PPI and PPF are associated with motor speech deficits in PD.
Methods: A total of 88 subjects participated in this study, 52 diagnosed with PD and 36 control subjects. After
obtaining written informed consent, participants were assessed with PPI at several interstimulus intervals, and
PPF at 1000 ms using the SRH-Lab system (San Diego, CA). Percentage of change in the amplitude and latency
of the ASR was analyzed between groups. Voice recordings were register of a specific text given to the
subjects with a professional recorder and temporal patterns of speech were analyzed.
Results: Statistical analysis conducted in this study showed differences in PPI and PPF in subjects with PD
compared to controls. In addition, discriminative parameters of voice abnormalities were observed in PD subjects
related to control subjects showing a reduction in phonation time, vowel pulses, breaks, breakage and
voice speech periods.
Conclusions: PD presents a disruption in sensorimotor filter mechanisms and speech disorders, and there is a
relationship between these alterations. The correlation between the PPI and PPF with an alteration of the voice
in PD subjects contributes toward understanding mechanism underlying the neurophysiological alterations in
both processes. Overall, easy and non-invasive tests such as PPI, PPF together with voice analysis may be useful
to identify early stages of PD.
