Speech therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease

For people with Parkinson’s disease, one of the most frustrating symptoms is the speech disorder known as hypokinetic dysarthria. Progressive deterioration in volume, intonation, and precision of speech over time has a considerable effect on the patients’ communication with family, friends, and communities. Since the mid-1990s, extensive research has shown the efficacy of the Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT LOUD) for people with Parkinson’s disease, across a range of outcome measures.12 The randomised trial by Sackley and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-078341),3 comparing LSVT LOUD with the UK’s NHS speech and language therapy or no therapy, shows convincingly that LSVT LOUD is the most clinically effective speech treatment for this patient group.

This study is the largest, pragmatic, community based trial undertaken on the topic to date. Through its patient reported primary outcome measure, secondary outcome measures, and comprehensive sensitivity analyses the trial provides strong …