Ataxia espinocerebelar: análise perceptivo-auditiva e acústica da fala em três casos

Abstract

Background: dysarthrias are commonly found in patients with spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA). Aim: to characterize perceptual and acoustic features of speech in three patients with spinocerebellar ataxia and to verify the presence of similar features among these patients. Method: speech samples of two males with SCA3 and one male with SCA2 were obtained. Both perceptual and acoustic analyses were done. Results: It was observed strain-strangled and breathiness phonation, vocal instability, increased noise-toharmonics ratio and low alternate motion rate (AMR) and speech rate in all three patients. Deviated resonance and s/z ratio were also observed. Conclusion: phonatory disorders and altered temporal patterns of speech seem to be typical in dysarthric patients with spinocerebellar ataxia.