Solomon, N., Mckee, A. And Garcia-Barry, S.

Solomon, N., McKee, A. And Garcia-Barry, S. (2001). Intensive voice treatment and respiration treatment for hypokinetic-spastic dysarthria after traumatic brain injury. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. (10) 51-64.

What was the problem or question the authors were asking?

A young man who had sustained massive brain trauma was examined to see which method would help him to breath and speak properly again.

What research or background information was described?

The efficacy of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) was explored and tested in terms of a patient twenty months after the sustainment of a major injury. LSVT is "an intensive 4-week program that focuses on increased vocal effort" (Solomon 2001,-page 51). It has proven to be successful in helping patients with Parkinson's.

c. Therefore, what was the purpose of the present article?

To see whether or not the LSVT would help a young man with traumatic brain injury (tbi) and therefore expand its usage beyond people with Parkinson's disease.

II. Methods:

a. Subjects, Number, Ages, Sex, and Any Other Identifying Characteristics:

One young man, age unknown, 20 months after a tbi

b. Instrumentation or Materials Used:

The breathing and speaking functions were measured using spirometry, respiratory kinematics, intelligibility, and acoustic and auditory perception measures

c. Procedures:

Breathing and speech were initially assessed. Six weeks of treatment were given and documented. These were continued for an additional ten weeks and then tested again. Finally, tests were conducted three months after the treatments stopped to see which gains had remained and which had been lost.

III. Results:

What did the authors find? Did they use statistical analysis: was this significant?

They found that several of the criterions returned to their baseline measurements but that improvement in resting and speech remained present. There were also still improvements in vocal SPL and intelligibility. Statistical analysis was employed because they compared the present patient with his conditions before the test.

IV. Conclusions and Discussion:

a. How did these findings compare with what had already been reported?

No published reports had tested how these procedures worked with people who had tbi.

b. How did the authors explain their findings?

They explained through clear text what it is that they had discovered.

c. What are further research needs?

Further research is needed to determine if results would be the same in all patients with tbi or not.

V. What are your impressions regarding this article?

The article was interesting and I think it is highly inventive to use a protocol for Parkinson's and see how well the techniques can be applied to people with other conditions. However, there is a major failing in that only one individual was tested for the experiment meaning that the man's progress could only be compared against himself. If there were additional subjects in the investigation, the findings of the researchers would be more substantial. The article could serve the basis for additional testing regarding people with tbi or in implementing LSVT in patients with other medical conditions.

Website: http://ajslp.asha.org/cgi/content/abstract/10/1/51?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=dysarthria&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

Intensive Voice Treatment and Respiration Treatment for Hypokinetic-Spastic Dysarthria After Traumatic Brain Injury

Nancy Pearl Solomon 1

Amy S. McKee 1

Sandra Garcia-Barry 2

1 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

2 Courage Center, Minneapolis, MN