Behavioral Treatments for Speech in Parkinson's Disease: Meta-Analyses and Review of the Literature

Neurodegenerative Disease Management

Atkinson-Clement, C., Sadat, J., et al. (2015).

Neurodegenerative Disease Management, 5(3), 233-248.

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the effects of behavioural speech therapy approaches on speech outcomes (e.g., respiration control, pitch modulation, speech loudness) treatment in individuals with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson's disease.

PACA Regional Council (France); Orthomalin (France); French National Agency for Research (France); Brain and Language Research Institute (France); Aix-Marseille Initiative of Excellence (France)

1981-2014

Not further specified

48

<div>The meta-analysis found that respiratory control exercises were associated with the following therapy effect sizes for individuals with Parkinson's disease:</div> <ul> <li><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Classic LSVT:</strong> There were increases in pitch/prosody&nbsp;(ES = 0.635, 0.476, and 0.303 at 1-, 6- and 12-months post-treatment, respectively). There were sustained improvements in sound pressure level (SPL) for up to 2 years post-treatment (ES = 0.803).&nbsp;</span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>LSVT Web: </strong>There were sustained improvements in SPL for up to 2 months post-treatment (ES = 2.797). </span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>LSVT Extended Version:</strong> There were sustained improvements in SPL for up to 2 months post- treatment (ES = 1.716.</span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Other treatments focusing on respiratory control:</strong> There were improvements in SPL (ES = 0.345), however, there was no evidence to support maintenance of these effects.&nbsp; There was improved pitch/prosody at 1 month (ES = 0.377) and 12 months (ES = 0.512).</span></li> <li><span style="color: #333333;"><strong>Other treatments focusing on multiple parameters:</strong> There were improvements in SPL (ES = 1.289), however, there was no evidence to support maintenance of these effects.&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <div>Limitations to this review include small sample sizes and heterogeneity between studies. Further research is indicated.</div>