Listener training to help people with Parkinson's speak more clearly
Official title: Listener training for improved intelligibility of people with Parkinson's disease
Funded at Utah State University · NIH-11336914 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program helps people with Parkinson's disease improve how clearly they are understood by using training for the people who listen to them, like family members.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Logan, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $539,775 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC020930-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336914 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older with Parkinson’s disease and dysarthria, including those aged 65 and over.
✕Less likely to help
Some individuals may not experience substantial improvements in intelligibility despite listener-focused training.
What this research studies
This project focuses on people with Parkinson’s disease who have dysarthria and reduced speech intelligibility, aiming to improve everyday communication. Rather than only training the speaker, it emphasizes training listeners—such as family and close others—to better understand and support effective conversation. The study will build and test a listener-focused approach grounded in perceptual learning to reduce communication barriers in real-life settings. If successful, it could lessen social isolation and improve participation in daily interactions for people with PD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with PD and their communication partners could experience clearer conversations and less frustration in daily life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows perceptual-learning-based approaches can improve communication; this study tests a novel listener-centered strategy in PD.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State University
Logan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Borrie, Stephanie Anna — Utah State University
- Study coordinator: Borrie, Stephanie Anna
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.