Currently, there are over 10 million globally dealing with Parkinson’s disease. Despite there being no cure, Parkinson’s disease can be managed if symptoms are identified early. Unfortunately, most symptoms of Parkinson’s disease tend to worsen with time alongside speech changes.
Scientists have found a new way to detect the onset of Parkinson’s
Rytis Maskelinas, a researcher from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), and associates from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) have attempted to use voice data to detect early signs of Parkinson’s disease as per a study published in Applied Sciences journal.
Usually, Parkinson’s disease is characterized by motor function loss, muscle stiffness, hand tremors, or balance problems. Maskeliunas, a scientist at KTU’s Department of Multimedia Engineering, said that as motor function reduces in people with Parkinson’s, so do vocal cords, lungs, and diaphragm function. In addition, speech changes usually start early compared to motor activity disorders, explaining why speech changes are the first sign of Parkinson’s.
Professor Virgilijus Ulozas of LSMU Faculty of Medicine’s Ear Nose and Throat Department said Early-stage Parkinson’s disease individuals might talk more quietly, more monotonously, less expressively, slowly, and fragmentarily. It may be quite challenging to detect this through hearing. Hoarseness, stuttering, impaired word articulation, and absence of pauses between sentences can all worsen as the illness advances.
A combined team of Lithuanian scientists has created a technique to identify the disease sooner, considering these symptoms.
The new approach is not an alternative to routine examination
According to Maskeliunas, they are not establishing an alternative for standard patient assessment and examination. Still, the method has been designed to help with early Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and track treatment efficacy. Maskeliunas says that the connection between Parkinson’s and speech changes is not new in the digital signal analysis sphere. He contends that it has been studied for over six decades. However, with tech advances, getting more information from speech has become feasible.
In the latest study, researchers employed AI in analyzing and assessing speech signals. The approach can differentiate Parkinson’s disease from healthy individuals through speech.
