Singing in Groups for Parkinson's Disease; A Pilot Study of Group Singing Therapy for PD-related Voice/Speech Impairment

The National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is conducting a research study to test whether group singing therapy helps people with voice or speech disorders due to Parkinson's disease (PD). Communication problems, including loss of vocal loudness, affect many people with PD. While existing forms of speech therapy have been shown to be helpful, group singing may be a beneficial alternative to traditional speech therapy.

The study will involve participating in weekly treatment sessions where subjects will receive training in vocal exercises from a speech-language pathologist with expertise in PD, as well as instructions for structured home practice. Participants will be assigned to a singing or non-singing group for the 12-week treatment phase of the study. Researchers will measure subjects' vocal function and communication-related quality of life before and several times after the 12-week program. All subjects and their care partners are welcome to participate in a singing group following the study.

You may be eligible for this study if you have been diagnosed with PD for one year or more, and you have difficulty with your voice or speech such as quiet voice, or difficulty being understood.

Inclusion criteria

• Difficulty being heard or understood
• Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease for one year

Exclusion criteria

• No other neurological conditions(i.e. stroke, cerebellar ataxia) that affect voice quality
• No history of vocal chord hemorrhage