Spinocerebellar ataxia: perceptual and acoustic analysis of speech in three cases.
BACKGROUND
dysarthrias are commonly found in patients with spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA).


OBJECTIVE
to characterize perceptual and acoustic features of speech in three patients with spinocerebellar ataxia and to verify the presence of similar features among these patients.


METHODS
speech samples of two males with SCA3 and one male with SCA2 were obtained. Both perceptual and acoustic analyses were done.


RESULTS
It was observed strain-strangled and breathiness phonation, vocal instability, increased noise-to-harmonics ratio and low alternate motion rate (AMR) and speech rate in all three patients. Deviated resonance and s/z ratio were also observed.


CONCLUSIONS
phonatory disorders and altered temporal patterns of speech seem to be typical in dysarthric patients with spinocerebellar ataxia.
Barreto
Simone dos Santos
Sdos S
Universidade Federal de SãoPaulo, Fonoaudióloga da Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro. simone_barret@hotmail.com
Nagaoka
Joana Mantovani
JM
Martins
Fernanda Chapchap
FC
Ortiz
Karin Zazo
KZ
D000328:Adult; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000150:complications*; D014833:Voice Quality