Using social rhythm to help people with Parkinson’s talk more clearly
Official title: Leveraging entrainment for improving communication in people with Parkinson's disease.
Funded at Utah State University · NIH-11375560 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small study will test whether matching someone else’s speech pace and style can help people with Parkinson’s disease speak more clearly in everyday conversations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Logan, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $430,379 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DC022654-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375560 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Parkinson’s disease who experience hypokinetic dysarthria and have communication difficulties in daily conversations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Parkinson’s disease or without speech-related communication difficulties may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project looks at how people with Parkinson’s disease can better communicate by aligning their speaking patterns with a conversation partner. It will test how entrainment—matching speech rate, rhythm, and word choice—affects the understandability of speech outside the clinic. Researchers will compare structured clinic tasks with real-world speaking situations to see if benefits carry over. The study uses behavioral strategies to encourage clearer, slower, and more effective communication in daily life. If successful, it could lead to simpler ways to support people with PD in conversations with family, friends, and caregivers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could speak more clearly in everyday life, improving communication with others and reducing frustration in social interactions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows entrainment effects in speech but not yet proven to improve everyday communication for PD patients.
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.