Publication date: Jun 18, 2024

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine voice quality changes in individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD) utilizing the Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI) over approximately a 1-year period. Follow-up study. Baseline and follow-up data were gathered from the PDSTUlong speech corpus. The data for both time points included: speaker background information, sustained vowels, reading samples, and measures of PD severity (Hoehn and Yahr scores and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III scores [UPDRS-III]). All speakers (N = 12) were native Finnish speakers. AVQIv03. 01 and ABI analysis were completed in VOXplot v2. 0.1. Changes in AVQI and ABI scores between baseline and follow-up were examined via causal analysis. Further, AVQI and ABI were analyzed in relation to measures of PD severity. Baseline mean AVQI score was 1. 79 (range 0. 14-4. 83, SD=1. 60), whereas follow-up mean AVQI score was 2. 25 (range 0. 55-4. 53, SD=1. 36). Baseline mean ABI score, in turn, was 2. 92 (range 1-27 – 5. 31, SD=1. 57), whereas follow-up mean ABI score was 3. 42 (range 1. 40-5. 40, SD=1. 38). A significant difference was found between baseline and follow-up measures for both AVQI (Z = -2. 002, P = 0. 045) and ABI (Z = -2. 197, P = 0. 028). A significant difference in smoothed cepstral peak prominence (Z = -2. 118, P = 0. 034) and harmonics-to-noise ratio (Z = -1. 961, P = 0. 050) was also found between the two measurement periods. Change in AVQI and ABI were not correlated with the change in measures of PD severity. Over approximately 1-year, a statistical change was observed in AVQI and ABI scores, even in such a small dataset. The specific qualities of breathiness and hoarseness showed the most significant progression. Changes in voice quality were more prominent in ABI analysis.

Semantics

Original Article