[Parkinsonism-associated speech disorders].

OBJECTIVE

To study clinical and neurophysiological features of speech disorders in PD, multisystem atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PNP).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Thirty-one patients with PD and 14 patients with MSA and PSP were examined. The Unified rating scale for Parkinson's disease of the International movement disorders society (MDS-UPDRS) and a neurophysiological analysis of speech disorders using acoustic spectral analysis of voice and speech according to the method of Jan Rusz et al (2004) were used.

RESULTS

Patients with PD showed a parallel increase in the severity of axial motor disorders (hypomimia, walking disorders, postural disorders) and speech disorders. Patients with MSA and PSP differ not only from the PD patients but also among themselves by clinical presentations (motor, autonomic, cognitive) and speech disorders.

CONCLUSION

The clinical and neurophysiological features of speech disorders in patients with various variants of parkinsonism will be useful in the differential diagnosis of these diseases and can be used in developing approaches to patient rehabilitation.