Detecting Parkinson's Disease Through Speech Analysis

Seven centers of excellence in sleep research will investigate speech and other clinical
symptoms in more than 100 subjects with REM sleep behavior disorder. Analyses of a number of
unique speech dimensions based upon three fundamental categories of simple speaking tasks
will be used to search for specific prodromal alterations in speech patterns in REM sleep
behavior disorder, compared to age- and gender-matched patients with early Parkinson's
disease and healthy control subjects. Robust algorithms allowing automated speech analysis
will be developed and optimized through English, German, French, Czech and Italian languages.
Early motor dysfunction strongly predicts Parkinson's disease and other
alpha-synucleinopathies. In this regard, vocal assessment has intriguing potential advances
as is non-invasive, inexpensive, simple to administer and scalable to large population with
possibility to perform recordings remotely, even by telephone from patients' home. Speech
analysis may serve as a simple tool to screen large populations for the risk to develop
Parkinson's disease. If speech impairment appears to be a strong biomarker of early motor
dysfunction, the screening of speech changes may improve stratification for future
neuroprotective therapies for Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies.

Inclusion Criteria for subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD):

- Diagnosed based on the MDS Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinson's Disease
including the presence of bradykinesia in combination with either rest tremor,
rigidity, or both;

- Hoehn & Yahr stage 1-2 in the defined OFF state;

- Disease duration from diagnosis < 5 years;

- No motor fluctuations or dyskinesias;

- On stable dose of medication in last four weeks;

- Onset of PD after 50 years;

- No history of communication or neurological disorders unrelated to PD;

- Not currently involved in any speech therapy;

Inclusion Criteria for subjects with REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD):

- Fulfill criteria for RBD based on polysomnography according to the standard
International Classification of Sleep Disorders diagnostic criteria, 3rd edition;

- Onset of RBD after 50 years;

- No history of communication or neurological disorders.

Inclusion Criteria for healthy control subjects:

- No history of communication or neurological disorders, parasomnias and other sleep
disorders with important severity;

- No regular benzodiazepines, hypnotics and melatonin intake.

Exclusion criteria:

(for all the arms) Inability to speak and read a text aloud.