title: Spinocerebellar ataxia: perceptual and acoustic analysis of speech in three cases.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de SãoPaulo, Fonoaudióloga da Prefeitura do Rio de Janeiro. simone_barret@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Simone dos Santos
authors.initials: Sdos S
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Joana Mantovani
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Fernanda Chapchap
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Karin Zazo
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Ortiz
mesh_terms: 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