--- title: Testing speech therapy for loudness nct_id: NCT07730073 phase: NA status: RECRUITING sponsor: Atlas University study_type: INTERVENTIONAL canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07730073" clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07730073" last_fetched: "2026-07-28T14:00:44.349Z" source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)" --- # Testing speech therapy for loudness **Goal (in five words):** Testing speech therapy for loudness **Official Title:** The Effect of Lee Silverman Voice Therapy-LOUD (LVST-LOUD) Therapy Method on Voice and Speech Skills and Examination of Therapy Experiences in Turkish-Speaking Individuals With Parkinson's Disease **Trial ID:** [NCT07730073](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07730073) ## Key Facts - **Phase:** NA - **Status:** RECRUITING - **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL - **Sponsor:** Atlas University - **Target Enrollment:** 24 participants - **Start Date:** 2026-02-18 - **Completion Date:** 2026-12 - **Conditions:** Parkinson's Disease (PD) - **Interventions:** LSVT-LOUD Therapy - **Intervention Types:** BEHAVIORAL ## Summary For Families Researchers are testing whether Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, called LSVT-LOUD, can raise vocal loudness and make speech clearer for Turkish-speaking people with Parkinson's, because softer, harder-to-understand speech often hurts quality of life. The therapy is an intensive, one-on-one program done in Turkish, with 60-minute sessions four times a week for four weeks that focus on high-effort speaking through exercises like sustained sounds, pitch glides, louder-speech drills, stepwise practice from words to conversation, and daily homework to carry the gains into real life. Therapists use sound feedback to help people relearn how loud "loud" should feel so the louder voice becomes part of everyday speaking. Eligible participants are native Turkish speakers age 40 to 80 with mild to moderate Parkinson's (stages 1 to 3), noticeable voice or speech problems, enough thinking ability to take part (a common cognitive screen score of 24 or higher), and a stable medication plan; people with other major brain disorders, untreated hearing loss, dementia, recent laryngeal surgery or recent deep brain stimulation, or recent intensive speech therapy are not eligible. ## What This Actually Involves **Placebo** _(From the protocol)_: This trial has a group that receives no study treatment (you would continue your usual care) alongside the treatment group. Because assignment is random, you have about a 1 in 2 chance (roughly 50%) of being in the no-treatment group, assuming the groups are filled equally. Ask the coordinator to confirm the exact assignment ratio. **Visits** _(From the protocol)_: You will attend individual therapy sessions four times per week for four weeks, each session lasting 60 minutes. > "The intervention requires participants to attend individual therapy sessions conducted four times per week over a four-week period, with each session lasting 60 minutes." **Procedures** _(Ask the coordinator)_: Ask the coordinator what tests and procedures are involved, for example blood draws, scans, or questionnaires, and whether any are uncomfortable or invasive. **Washout** _(Ask the coordinator)_: Ask the coordinator whether you would need to stop or pause any of your current medications before or during the study (a washout period), and for how long. **Travel & reimbursement** _(Ask the coordinator)_: Ask the coordinator whether travel, parking, or your time is reimbursed or compensated, and what is covered. _Fields marked “From the protocol” come from the trial's registry record or quoted protocol text. Fields marked “Ask the coordinator” are not reliably available and should be confirmed directly._ ## Eligibility at a Glance Key requirements found in this trial's official criteria, in plain language. Only what the listing states is shown; the study team makes the final call. - **Disease stage:** Hoehn and Yahr stage 1 to 3 - **Deep brain stimulation:** Cannot join after DBS surgery (deep brain stimulation) (criteria text: "recent surgery: history of laryngeal surgery or deep brain stimulation (dbs) within the last 6 months") - **Thinking test (MMSE):** MMSE memory and thinking score of at least 24 (criteria text: ", mini-mental state examination (mmse) score >= 24)") ## Eligibility - **Minimum age:** 40 Years - **Maximum age:** 80 Years - **Sex:** ALL ### Full Criteria ``` Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis: Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (Hoehn and Yahr stages I-III). Age: Individuals aged 40-80 years. Language: Native Turkish speakers. Cognitive Status: Sufficient cognitive function to participate in therapy (e.g., Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 24). Communication: Presence of voice or speech impairment (e.g., hypophonia, reduced intelligibility) as confirmed by a speech-language pathologist. Stability: Stable medication regimen for at least 1 month prior to the study initiation. Exclusion Criteria: Neurological Comorbidities: Presence of other significant neurological disorders (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis) or active voice disorders (e.g., vocal cord nodules, laryngeal cancer). Hearing Impairment: Uncorrected hearing loss that would interfere with speech assessment or therapy. Cognitive Impairment: Diagnosis of dementia or severe cognitive impairment that prevents participation in the intensive LSVT-LOUD protocol. Recent Surgery: History of laryngeal surgery or deep brain stimulation (DBS) within the last 6 months. Therapy History: Previous experience with LSVT-LOUD or intensive speech therapy within the past year. ``` ## Locations (1) - Atlas University, Kâğıthane, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) _(41.0794, 28.9647)_ - Ayşe Nur Koçak, Master of Science, (CONTACT), +90 549 650 20 60, aysenur.kocak@atlas.edu.tr ## Central Contacts - Ayşe Nur Koçak, Master of Science, (CONTACT), +90 549 650 20 60, aysenur.kocak@atlas.edu.tr ## Making Contact: How to Call This Study Site ### Who to ask for Ask for the study coordinator. Some sites call this person the research coordinator. They are the right person for questions about joining a study. If you reach a front desk or a doctor's office scheduler, ask them to connect you with the research team for this study. ### What to say It is fine to read this out loud, word for word: > Hello, my name is ____. I am calling about a Parkinson's study at your site. The study number is NCT07730073. It is the one about "Testing speech therapy for loudness". Could I speak with the study coordinator about taking part? If you are calling for a family member, use their name and mention that you help with their care. ### What they will ask you - The year of diagnosis - Current medications and their doses - Other health conditions - Any procedures already done, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) - How far you are able to travel for study visits - Whether a care partner can come to visits with you ### What to have ready - A written list of current medications and doses - Your neurologist's name and phone number - The diagnosis date. The year is enough. - A recent visit summary from the neurologist, if you have one ### What to ask them - How many visits are there, and how long does each visit take? The listing already answers this: You will attend individual therapy sessions four times per week for four weeks, each session lasting 60 minutes. Ask the coordinator to confirm it still applies. - Is travel, parking, or my time reimbursed? - Is there a placebo group, and what is my chance of being in it? The listing already answers this: This trial has a group that receives no study treatment (you would continue your usual care) alongside the treatment group. Because assignment is random, you have about a 1 in 2 chance (roughly 50%) of being in the no-treatment group, assuming the groups are filled equally. Ask the coordinator to confirm the exact assignment ratio. - Would I need to stop or pause any of my current medications? - What happens when the study ends? Could I stay on the treatment if it helps? ### What to expect - Expect to wait a few days for a callback. A week is common. Calling or emailing again after that is fine and normal. - Many callers do not end up joining. Screening out is common and is not a judgment about you or your health. - Asking questions commits you to nothing. You can stop the process at any point. --- *Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07730073* *HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT07730073* *Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07730073*