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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04273672

Speech, Linguistic and Acoustic Markers in Parkinson's Disease

The Investigators aim to identify speech and language markers that provide information on cognitive function and predict cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease. The Investigators will administer speech tasks and cognitive assessments to participants with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls. The Investigators will also explore the associations between genetic factors and speech and cognitive status in Parkinson's disease.

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Key information

Conditions

Parkinson Disease Basal Ganglia Diseases Behavior Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cognition Disorders Cognitive Dysfunction Cognitive Impairment, Mild Communication Mental Disorders Movement Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders Neurodegenerative Diseases Parkinsonian Disorders Speech Synucleinopathies Verbal Behavior

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

UMass Medical School/UMass Memorial Medical Center

Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Parkinson's Disease (or healthy control)
  • Disease duration ≥ 2 years
  • Mild cognitive impairment or normal cognition

Exclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of dementia (MoCA <21)
  • Adults unable to consent
  • Age < 18
  • Pregnant women
  • Prisoners
  • Non-English speakers
  • Any neurological disorder other than PD
  • Deep brain stimulator placement
  • Severe, unstable psychiatric disorder
  • Unintelligible speech due to effects of PD
  • Visual acuity or color vision impairment that would interfere with cognitive testing
  • Other voice, speech or swallowing disorders or history of surgery involving palate/nasopharynx/larynx/vocal cords

Treatment and study plan

Cognitive Battery

Diagnostic Test

Participants will be asked to complete a series of cognitive testing (testing of concentration, memory, and other thinking abilities).

Voice, Speech and Language Analysis

Behavioral

Participants will be asked to perform speaking and reading tasks, which will be recorded. Participants will be asked to complete a laptop-based test of language comprehension.

Questionnaires and Clinical Assessments

Behavioral

Participants with Parkinson's disease will complete an examination of their symptoms and questionnaires assessing disease symptoms, mood and activities of daily living. Healthy controls participants will be asked to complete questionnaires on mood.

DNA analysis

Genetic

Participants will have their blood drawn for DNA analysis.

Primary outcomes

  1. Mild Cognitive Impairment

    Time frame: baseline

    Mild cognitive impairment classified by Movement Disorders Society Task Force Level II Critieria

  2. Mean Fundamental Frequency

    Time frame: baseline

    These acoustic measures during spontaneous speech (picture description) were calculated using Praat

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Massachusetts, Worcester

Other

Collaborators

  • Boston University
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
  • VA Puget Sound Health Care System

Registry information

Acronym: SLAM-PD

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2025
First posted
Feb 18, 2020
Registry last updated
Jun 10, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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