The BioVisualSpeech Serious Game with Voice Exercises for People with Parkinson's Disease with Hypokinetic Dysarthria. 2022

Tiago Viana, and Sofia Cavaco
NOVA LINCS, Department of Computer Science, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) can have dysarthria, a voice disorder that affects speech intelligibility. To fight this disorder people may resort to speech and language therapy. Unfortunately, weekly speech therapy sessions may not be enough, because to achieve and maintain good voice quality, intensive training is required. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to the need for alternative speech therapy treatments that complement face-to-face appointments. Here, we propose a serious therapy game to improve voice loudness that can be used for intensive therapy or when face-to-face appointments are not possible. The game integrates three voice exercises used in speech therapy sessions for people with PD and aims to provide motivation for patients to perform the exercises on a daily basis. This application evaluates the vocal intensity, vocal frequency and maximum phonation time, offering real-time visual feedback. It also allows pathologists to customize the exercises difficulty to the needs of each patient.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010300 Parkinson Disease A progressive, degenerative neurologic disease characterized by a TREMOR that is maximal at rest, retropulsion (i.e. a tendency to fall backwards), rigidity, stooped posture, slowness of voluntary movements, and a masklike facial expression. Pathologic features include loss of melanin containing neurons in the substantia nigra and other pigmented nuclei of the brainstem. LEWY BODIES are present in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus but may also be found in a related condition (LEWY BODY DISEASE, DIFFUSE) characterized by dementia in combination with varying degrees of parkinsonism. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1059, pp1067-75) Idiopathic Parkinson Disease,Lewy Body Parkinson Disease,Paralysis Agitans,Primary Parkinsonism,Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease,Lewy Body Parkinson's Disease,Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic,Parkinson's Disease,Parkinson's Disease, Idiopathic,Parkinson's Disease, Lewy Body,Parkinsonism, Primary
D004401 Dysarthria Disorders of speech articulation caused by imperfect coordination of pharynx, larynx, tongue, or face muscles. This may result from CRANIAL NERVE DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; CEREBELLAR DISEASES; BASAL GANGLIA DISEASES; BRAIN STEM diseases; or diseases of the corticobulbar tracts (see PYRAMIDAL TRACTS). The cortical language centers are intact in this condition. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p489) Hyperkinetic Dysarthria,Hypokinetic Dysarthria,Scanning Speech,Dysarthosis,Dysarthria, Flaccid,Dysarthria, Guttural,Dysarthria, Mixed,Dysarthria, Scanning,Dysarthria, Spastic,Dysarthoses,Dysarthria, Hyperkinetic,Dysarthria, Hypokinetic,Dysarthrias,Dysarthrias, Flaccid,Dysarthrias, Guttural,Dysarthrias, Hyperkinetic,Dysarthrias, Hypokinetic,Dysarthrias, Mixed,Dysarthrias, Scanning,Dysarthrias, Spastic,Flaccid Dysarthria,Flaccid Dysarthrias,Guttural Dysarthria,Guttural Dysarthrias,Hyperkinetic Dysarthrias,Hypokinetic Dysarthrias,Mixed Dysarthria,Mixed Dysarthrias,Scanning Dysarthria,Scanning Dysarthrias,Scanning Speechs,Spastic Dysarthria,Spastic Dysarthrias,Speechs, Scanning
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000086382 COVID-19 A viral disorder generally characterized by high FEVER; COUGH; DYSPNEA; CHILLS; PERSISTENT TREMOR; MUSCLE PAIN; HEADACHE; SORE THROAT; a new loss of taste and/or smell (see AGEUSIA and ANOSMIA) and other symptoms of a VIRAL PNEUMONIA. In severe cases, a myriad of coagulopathy associated symptoms often correlating with COVID-19 severity is seen (e.g., BLOOD COAGULATION; THROMBOSIS; ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME; SEIZURES; HEART ATTACK; STROKE; multiple CEREBRAL INFARCTIONS; KIDNEY FAILURE; catastrophic ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME and/or DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION). In younger patients, rare inflammatory syndromes are sometimes associated with COVID-19 (e.g., atypical KAWASAKI SYNDROME; TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME; pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease; and CYTOKINE STORM SYNDROME). A coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the genus BETACORONAVIRUS is the causative agent. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease,2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection,2019-nCoV Disease,2019-nCoV Infection,COVID-19 Pandemic,COVID-19 Pandemics,COVID-19 Virus Disease,COVID-19 Virus Infection,Coronavirus Disease 2019,Coronavirus Disease-19,SARS Coronavirus 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infection,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection,COVID19,2019 nCoV Disease,2019 nCoV Infection,2019-nCoV Diseases,2019-nCoV Infections,COVID 19,COVID 19 Pandemic,COVID 19 Virus Disease,COVID 19 Virus Infection,COVID-19 Virus Diseases,COVID-19 Virus Infections,Coronavirus Disease 19,Disease 2019, Coronavirus,Disease, 2019-nCoV,Disease, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, 2019-nCoV,Infection, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, SARS-CoV-2,Pandemic, COVID-19,SARS CoV 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infections,Virus Disease, COVID-19,Virus Infection, COVID-19
D013070 Speech Therapy Treatment for individuals with speech defects and disorders that involves counseling and use of various exercises and aids to help the development of new speech habits. Therapy, Speech,Speech Therapies,Therapies, Speech
D014831 Voice The sounds produced by humans by the passage of air through the LARYNX and over the VOCAL CORDS, and then modified by the resonance organs, the NASOPHARYNX, and the MOUTH. Voices
D058873 Pandemics Epidemics of infectious disease that have spread to many countries, often more than one continent, and usually affecting a large number of people. Pandemic

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