SPEECH MOTOR CONTROL IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE - A COMPARISON BETWEEN A CLINICAL-ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL AND A QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF MANDIBULAR MOVEMENTS

Nine individuals with Parkinon's disease (PD) and nine normal control subjects, matched for sex and age, were compared on a standardized ass essment protocol for dysarthria. Simple measures of hand and gait moti lity were also obtained. A kinematic analysis of vertical jaw movement s during speech was performed by using an optoelectronic technique. Th e PD subjects were examined during both induced off L-dopa and on L-do pa states, and their performance was compared between the two conditio ns. Significant group differences were found for all kinematic measure s during a syllable repetition task, as well as for the total dysarthr ia test scores and certain inidividual test items. Implications and cl inical usefulness of the kinematic approach to the study of oral motor functions are discussed.