Open Lines® founder and executive director Dr. Jessica Galgano and four co-authors will have their academic research on LSVT LOUD treatments on display in an upcoming edition of Communication Disorders Quarterly.
The manuscript, titled “LSVT LOUD® Applied to an Adult With Cerebral Palsy: Acoustic Findings,” is a study of a 36-year old female with severe spastic dysarthria. This motor speech disorder is a common cause of cerebral palsy and affects respiration, voicing, and articulation.
LSVT LOUD Therapy for Cerebral Palsy
In this study, the female received four weeks of individual intensive voice-focused treatment. Voice recordings were conducted at three baseline points, immediately when treatment finished, and again as part of a four-month follow-up.
The primary outcome variables were selected acoustic measures of vocal function: sound pressure level (SPL), mean fundamental frequency (F0), maximum phonation time (MPT), jitter, shimmer, noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR), and maximum phonation frequency range (MPFR).
Significant pre- to post-treatment changes (p < .05) were found for all acoustic variables except for shimmer. All acoustic gains, except for MPFR, were maintained at the four-month follow-up visit, and shimmer significantly decreased.
The significant post-treatment changes in the majority of the acoustic measures analyzed suggest intensive voice-focused treatment may have the potential to improve vocal function in adults with severe spastic dysarthria secondary to cerebral palsy. Evidence-based treatment options for voice disorders in adults with cerebral palsy are limited, and the results emphasize the need for more studies with this population.
Communication Disorders Quarterly is a peer-reviewed academic journal containing information on typical and atypical communication, including research reports, tutorials on specific topics or clinical procedures, media reviews, and a clinical forum.
LSVT LOUD Therapy at Open Lines®
LSVT LOUD helps treat patients with Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, or other neurological disorders by recalibrating sensory perceptions and targeting increased amplitude of movements. This type of therapy allows you to better control loudness and speech clarity when speaking to others.
If you’re struggling with communication difficulties, it’s time to turn to Open Lines®. Contact us via phone (212-430-6800), email [email protected], or by filling out our convenient contact form. Improve your communication skills and unlock your potential with Open Lines® Speech and Communication in New York today!
