EFFECT OF VOICE REHABILITATION ON ORAL COMMUNICATION OF PARKINSONS-DISEASE PATIENTS

Voice and speech disorders are common in Parkinson's disease patients and may lead to social isolation. We employed routine clinical voice t herapy measures to evaluate the effect of voice rehabilitation. Twenty patients with a stable drug regimen participated in this study. The p atients were assessed before and after a program of voice rehabilitati on consisting of 13 group therapy sessions during 1 month, with emphas is on the increase in laryngeal sphincteric activity. Voice rehabilita tion produced an increase in maximal phonation times, decrease in the values of s/z ratio and air flow, increase in vocal intensity, decreas e in the complaints of weak and strained-strangled voice and monotonou s and unintelligible speech and elimination of complaints of swallowin g alterations. These data indicate a greater glottic efficiency after voice rehabilitation reflecting a more functional oral communication.