Two different phenomena in basic motor speech performance in premanifest Huntington disease.

Objective: Dysarthria is a common feature in Huntington disease (HD). The aim of this cross-sectional pilot study was the description and objective analysis of different speech parameters with special emphasis on the aspect of speech timing of connected speech and nonspeech verbal utterances in premanifest HD (preHD).

Methods: A total of 28 preHD mutation carriers and 28 age- and sex-matched healthy speakers had to perform a reading task and several syllable repetition tasks. Results of computerized acoustic analysis of different variables for the measurement of speech rate and regularity were correlated with clinical measures and MRI-based brain atrophy assessment by voxel-based morphometry.

Results: An impaired capacity to steadily repeat single syllables with higher variations in preHD compared to healthy controls was found (variance 1: Cohen = 1.46). Notably, speech rate was increased compared to controls and showed correlations to the volume of certain brain areas known to be involved in the sensory-motor speech networks (net speech rate: Cohen = 1.19). Furthermore, speech rate showed correlations to disease burden score, probability of disease onset, the estimated years to onset, and clinical measures like the cognitive score.

Conclusions: Measurement of speech rate and regularity might be helpful additional tools for the monitoring of subclinical functional disability in preHD. As one of the possible causes for higher performance in preHD, we discuss huntingtin-dependent temporarily advantageous development processes of the brain.