Voice Tremor in Parkinson's Disease: An Acoustic Study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Voice tremor associated with Parkinson disease (PD) has not been characterized. Its relationship with voice disability and disease variables is unknown.

OBJECTIVES:

This study aimed to evaluate voice tremor in people with PD (pwPD) and a matched control group using acoustic analysis, and to examine correlations with voice disability and disease variables.

METHODS:

Acoustic voice tremor analysis was completed on 30 pwPD and 28 age-gender matched controls. Voice disability (Voice Handicap Index), and disease variables of disease duration, Activities of Daily Living (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS II]), and motor symptoms related to PD (UPDRS III) were examined for relationship with voice tremor measures.

RESULTS:

Voice tremor was detected acoustically in pwPD and controls with similar frequency. PwPD had a statistically significantly higher rate of amplitude tremor (Hz) than controls (P = 0.001). Rate of amplitude tremor was negatively and significantly correlated with UPDRS III total score (rho -0.509). For pwPD, the magnitude and periodicity of acoustic tremor was higher than for controls without statistical significance. The magnitude of frequency tremor (Mftr%) was positively and significantly correlated with disease duration (rho 0.463). PwPD had higher Voice Handicap Index total, functional, emotional, and physical subscale scores than matched controls (P < 0.001). Voice disability did not correlate significantly with acoustic voice tremor measures.

CONCLUSION:

Acoustic analysis enhances understanding of PD voice tremor characteristics, its pathophysiology, and its relationship with voice disability and disease symptomatology.

• Authors: Patricia Gillivan-Murphy, Nick Miller, Paul Carding
• Journal: Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation (J Voice) Vol. 33 Issue 4 Pg. 526-535 (Jul 2019) ISSN: 1873-4588 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 29395332 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Acoustics
• Adult
• Aged
• Case-Control Studies
• Disability Evaluation
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Parkinson Disease (complications, diagnosis, physiopathology)
• Phonation
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Prospective Studies
• Speech Production Measurement
• Vocal Cords (physiopathology)
• Voice Disorders (diagnosis, etiology, physiopathology)
• Voice Quality