Purpose: Intensive voice therapy (LSVT(®)LOUD) can effectively manage voice and speech symptoms associated with idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD). This small-group study evaluated voice and speech in individuals with and without deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) before and after LSVT LOUD, to determine whether outcomes for surgical subjects were comparable to non-surgical cohorts.
Methods: Eight subjects with PD (four with STN-DBS and four without) received LSVT LOUD four times a week for four weeks.