Principal Investigators


Rektorová Irena Prof. MUDr. Ph.D.

Institution


Masaryk University - Central European Institute of Technology

Contact information of lead PI


Country


Czech Republic

Title of project or programme


Speech, its impairment and cognitive performance in Parkinson's disease

Source of funding information


Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic

Total sum awarded (Euro)


€ 280,000

Start date of award


01/04/2012

Total duration of award in years


4

Keywords


Research Abstract


Hypokinetic dysarthria (HD) belongs to the most common early symptoms of PD, which are difficult to treat by antiparkinsonian medication and/or surgical treatment. Impaired ability of communication significantly reduces the quality of life of PD subjects. Although some other axial symptoms of PD (e.g. postural instability/gait difficulty) are predictors of the development of dementia in PD, the relationship between HD and cognitive impairment is not clear. The aims of the project are firstly to identify the specific disorders of speech which are characteristic of PD depending on various demographic and clinical variables and secondly to identify the relationship between specific parameters of HD and cognitive impairment. Partial aims are to explore effects of PD treatment, its pathophysiological mechanisms, and the effect of rTMS on HD. The results will make the speech therapy in PD patients more efficient and may help to find suitable biomarkers for cognitive impairment and dementia in PD.

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