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Investigating the effect of STN-DBS stimulation and different frequency settings on the acoustic-articulatory features of vowels

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Abstract

Introduction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most frequent progressive neuro-degenerative disorder. In addition to motor symptoms, nonmotor symptoms and voice and speech disorders can also develop in 90% of PD patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of DBS and different DBS frequencies on speech acoustics of vowels in PD patients.

Methods

The study included 16 patients who underwent STN-DBS surgery due to PD. The voice recordings for the vowels including [a], [e], [i], and [o] were performed at frequencies including 230, 130, 90, and 60 Hz and off-stimulation. The voice recordings were gathered and evaluated by the Praat software, and the effects on the first (F1), second (F2), and third formant (F3) frequencies were analyzed.

Results

A significant difference was found for the F1 value of the vowel [a] at 130 Hz compared to off-stimulation. However, no significant difference was found between the three formant frequencies with regard to the stimulation frequencies and off-stimulation. In addition, though not statistically significant, stimulation at 60 and 230 Hz led to several differences in the formant frequencies of other three vowels.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that STN-DBS stimulation at 130 Hz had a significant positive effect on articulation of [a] compared to off-stimulation. Although there is not any statistical significant stimulation at 60 and 230 Hz may also have an effect on the articulation of [e], [i], and [o] but this effect needs to be investigated in future studies with higher numbers of participants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Anatakya, Hatay, Turkey

    Atilla Yilmaz & Yurdal Serarslan

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

    Elif Tuğba Sarac

  3. Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Fatma Esen Aydinli

  4. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

    Mustafa Turgut Yildizgoren

  5. Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

    Emine Esra Okuyucu

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  1. Atilla Yilmaz
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  2. Elif Tuğba Sarac
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  3. Fatma Esen Aydinli
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Correspondence to Atilla Yilmaz.

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Dr. Yilmaz has disclosures with Boston Scientific and Medtronic in terms of proctorship.

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Yilmaz, A., Sarac, E.T., Aydinli, F.E. et al. Investigating the effect of STN-DBS stimulation and different frequency settings on the acoustic-articulatory features of vowels. Neurol Sci 39, 1683–1689 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3479-y

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