Major Study Reveals Most Effective Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

A major clinical trial led by the University of Nottingham has demonstrated that Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®) is superior to standard NHS speech and language therapy for treating Parkinson’s disease patients. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Research from the University of Nottingham indicates that LSVT LOUD®, a specialized speech treatment, is more effective than traditional NHS therapy for Parkinson’s disease sufferers, improving their speech and overall quality of life.

A major clinical trial has shown the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®) is more effective than the current speech and language therapy provided by the NHS, when treating patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The NIHR HTA-funded trial results were published on July 10 in the BMJ . They showed that LSVT LOUD® was more effective at reducing the participant’s reported impact of voice problems than no speech and language therapy, as well as the NHS-delivered speech and language therapy.

The trial was led by experts from the Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, along with colleagues at Sandwell and Dudley Hospital Trust, University College London, King’s College London, the University of Bangor, Canterbury Christ Church University and Glasgow Caledonian University. It was carried out by NHS Speech and Language Therapy services across the UK and coordinated and analyzed by the team at the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit (BCTU) at the University of Birmingham . Participant Experi.