Characterization of ataxic dysarthria types
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the characterisation and sub-classification of ataxic dysarthria
IRAS ID
322063
Contact name
Anja Lowit
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Strathclyde
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Ataxia manifests a number of neurological disorders that affect muscle coordination, thus affecting gait, balance, and speech. The resulting speech impairment is characterised as ataxic dysarthria. While a sizeable number of studies have been published to describe ataxic dysarthria, they have largely focused on the more common types of progressive ataxias, i.e. Friedreich’s and a small number of the spinocerebellar ataxias. In addition, few studies have focused on differentiating the different types or investigating how they progress. The lack of information on the speech manifestations of the wider ataxia population leads to difficulties in the timing and method of their management. Therefore, this study aims to characterize speech impairment and its relationship between cognition and other motor symptoms in ataxia types that have been rarely or never researched to date.
The study sample will comprise 20 patients with Spastic Paraplegia Type-7, 20 with Gluten Ataxia, 20 with cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS), 10 with Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Ataxia with a range of severities, and ten healthy control participants. The participants will be reached through their neurologists, and GPs or they will be able to reach the researcher through advertisements on the internet. The speech will be assessed with a range of tasks which will be analysed perceptually and acoustically. All speech and cognitive assessments will be collected remotely to facilitate data collection. Participants' motor assessment scores and medical notes related to ataxia will be accessed through their neurologists. The data will be used to identify differentiating factors between the various types, and to establish how symptoms will vary across individuals with different disease severities and forms of ataxia and how this relates to their wider motor symptoms and cognitive capacities. The research is intended to take a total of three years for participant inclusion, data collection, and data analysis.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0247
Date of REC Opinion
14 Apr 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion