The Effect of Combined Speech and Music-therapy on the Speech Characteristics of People With Parkinson's...
Speech DisordersVoice Disorders1 moreSpeech and voice disorders are observed in almost 90% of patients with PD during their course of illness. Reduced voice pitch inflections or monotone speech, reduced vocal loudness, prosody disorders, the imprecise articulation of the consonants, hoarseness, and breathy voice is also observed in patients with PD; these symptoms often lead to reduced speech intelligibility. The aim of this study will to investigate the possible changes in the voice and speech features in people with PD after a combined speech and music therapy using Telerehabilitation.
Efficacy of a Semi-occluded Mask in the Treatment of Patients With Voice Disorders
Voice and Resonance DisordersVocal Fold Polyp3 moreCurrent semi-occluded vocal tract therapies limit the type of vocalizations that can be produced to single vowels, which does not promote learning of the healthy voice behavior in connected speech or generalization to conversation. However, recent preliminary results using a semi-occluded mask indicate that the use of certain mask port diameters may allow for natural speech production while increasing supraglottal pressure and impedance, and thereby result in elicitation of voice with increased efficiency. In addition, the use of a semi-occluded mask provides the possibility for a better transition from phonating single phonemes in therapy to training the target therapy techniques in connected speech.
Effectiveness of Two Therapeutic Approaches in Female Teachers With Voice Disorders
Voice DisordersThe study compares two different approaches of voice therapy. Vocal Functional Exercises (Stemple,1997) and Voice Amplification using a portable amplifier (Tsi Supervoz II - Tecnisystem do Brasil TSI 1210).
Assessment of Laryngopharyngeal Sensation in Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia
Spasmodic DysphoniaAdductor Spasmodic Dysphonia1 moreStudy investigators have completed a study testing laryngopharyngeal sensation at specific laryngopharyngeal subsites using a novel buckling force aesthesiometer in a series of 22 healthy adults at this institution. Investigators would like to use the same device apparatus to evaluate laryngopharyngeal sensation in patients with laryngopharyngeal disorders, such as adductor spasmodic dysphonia. This study will use a tested laryngopharyngeal aesthesiometer to examine laryngeal sensation using calibrated tactile stimuli to determine differences in somatotopic perceptual strength maps of laryngopharyngeal structures between patients with laryngopharyngeal disorders and healthy controls.
Testing a Smart Phone App to Enhance Voice Therapy Adherence
Voice DisordersThe current project is designed as phase 1 study conducted to improve/enhance normal voice. Fifteen Thirty non-treatment seeking individuals, with no identifiable vocal pathology on laryngeal examination, will be randomized to one of two groups; 1) Voice therapy delivery without App (control/standard of care), 2) Voice therapy delivery with app (experimental). Participants in both groups will attend weekly voice therapy sessions (for 6 weeks) with the PI and Co- I (Joseph Stemple). Control group participants will be provided with an audio file of the exercises, and an exercise log sheet to track progress. Experimental group participants will use the smartphone app, which allows participants to record home practice sessions in real time and upload sessions to the app server for the clinician to access and track. Three-wave surveys will be conducted at the baseline, four weeks and 6 weeks after the intervention. Other data sources include study administration, exercise logs, app data, and clinical assessment.
Phonosurgical Augmentation After Laser Resection of Early Glottic Carcinoma
Head and Neck NeoplasmsHead and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma2 moreObjectives: Transoral Laser Microsurgery (TLM) is widely used in for treating T1/T2 glottic cancers. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a safe and commonly-used injectable in vocal cord augmentation. We report on the results of our single-blinded, randomized-controlled trial (RCT) investigating the impact of intra-operative HA injection on voice outcomes in early glottic cancer. Methods: Patients with T1/T2 glottic cancers were randomized to the treatment group (n=14) receiving HA injection to the unaffected cord during TLM; or the control group, receiving no injection (n=16). All patients had a Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) questionnaire and a Maximum Phonation Time (MPT) measurement preoperatively and at 3, 12 and 24 months post-operatively. Mean change in VHI-10 and MPT, between pre-operative and post-operative time points, and between the time points, were compared. Survival estimates were also calculated.
Straw Phonation Exercise Program for Pitch Extension
Voice FatigueVoice Disorders1 moreTo investigate the change in fundamental frequency range and vocal fold stability achievable with vocal fold stretching exercise in human populations with high and low vocal activity
Effectiveness of Telepractice by Smartphone App Technology in Preventing Voice Problems
Prevention of Voice Disorders in Student TeachersVoice disorders in teachers have a significant impact on communication, quality of life, and economic costs to the healthcare system. We need to advance the prevention of voice disorders in teachers by testing an online telepractice model with synchronous (in real-time) and asynchronous (stored and accessed later) methods. The current study will investigate the effectiveness of the theoretically-driven Global Voice Prevention Model (GVPM) delivered by two methods; 1) online telepractice (synchronous and asynchronous) and 2) traditional, in-person for vocally healthy physical education and vocal music student teachers. Effectiveness of the model will be assessed by voice-related measures captured daily on a smartphone app during student teaching, matching the asynchronous aspects of the telepractice model and representing the effects of vocal loading from teaching.
Vocal Warm-up and Respiratory Muscle Training
Voice DisordersThe purpose of this study is to verify the effects of two speech-pathology interventions: vocal warm-up and respiratory training in teachers who work in a public school of the city of Salvador-Bahia, with or without complaints of vocal disorders. It is a preventive study and the hypothesis is that both approaches can produce positive voice changes, but the Vocal Warm-up will produce the most significant changes.
DaxibotulinumtoxinA Injection for Treatment of Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia
Adductor Spasmodic DysphoniaVoice Disorders1 moreSpasmodic Dysphonia (SD) is a neurologic condition causing inappropriate contraction of the laryngeal musculature, leading to abnormal voicing. The three types (adductor, abductor, and mixed) affect varying muscle groups which produce characteristic voice patterns. The vast majority of patients with SD have adductor type, which impacts the lateral cricoarytenoid and thyroarytenoid muscle complex. While many treatment modalities have been investigated, the most effective treatment is botulinum toxin injection to these muscle groups, performed transcervically with or without electromyography (EMG) guidance. Patients undergoing this treatment typically require re-injection every 3 months. Due to its specialized nature, the laryngeal injections are not performed routinely outside of academic medical centers; thus, patients may come from a distance to receive this treatment. Both due to the significant impact on voice quality when the injections wear off and the sometimes challenging access to treatment, a longer-acting agent is desired. Injectible daxibotuliumtoxinA (DAXI, Revance Therapeutics Inc., Newark, CA) has been shown in large clinical trials to provide safe, effective treatment for glabellar lines and cervical dystonia and may offer a longer-lasting result when compared with onabotulinumtoxinA. Thus, a study examining the effect of DAXI for patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia is proposed. This study aims to assess the efficacy of DAXI for transcervical laryngeal injection in patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia.