Using speech analysis to understand emotions, movement, and cognition in Parkinson's disease
Official title: SPEECH as Biomarker for Emotion, Movement and cOgnition in Parkinson's Disease
Run by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern · NCT05765110 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests if analyzing speech can help understand changes in movement, emotions, and thinking in people with Parkinson's disease to improve their treatment.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 30 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Prague and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 3, 2023 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | May 22, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05765110 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates for this study are adults aged 30 to 75 with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who are fluent in German or French.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with speech disorders unrelated to Parkinson's disease, significant cognitive impairment, or other neurological conditions may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study investigates the potential of computerized speech analysis to objectively detect fluctuations in motor function, emotional state, and cognitive processes in patients with Parkinson's disease. By analyzing speech patterns, the researchers aim to gain insights into how these three aspects are affected by the disease and its treatments, including medication and deep brain stimulation. The study will also include healthy subjects as a control group to compare speech changes in different contexts. The goal is to improve therapy management for Parkinson's patients through detailed analysis of their speech.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to more effective management of Parkinson's disease by providing a reliable method to monitor and adjust treatments based on real-time speech analysis.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of speech analysis in clinical settings is emerging, this specific approach to monitor Parkinson's disease fluctuations is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested in prior studies.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Patients with Parkinson's Disease Inclusion Criteria: * Written informed consent * Idiopathic PD according to the Movement Disorders Society Criteria; * Age of participants \> 30 and ≤ 75 years; * Treatment with or without bilateral deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus; * Fluent in German or French Exclusion Criteria: * Dysarthria caused in addition by a condition other than PD (e.g. stroke, myasthenia); * Clinical diagnosis of aphasia; * Brain disease other than Parkinson's disease (e.g. atypical Parkinsonism, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, etc.). * Cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa) \< 24/30 points); * Depression with acute suicidal ideation Healthy Controls Inclusion Criteria: * Written informed consent * Adults from 50-70 years old; * Fluent in German or French Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease; * Cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa) \< 24/30 points); * Suffering from brain disease (e.g. atypical Parkinsonism, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, etc.); * Clinical diagnosis of aphasia, dysarthria, and stuttering; * Suffering from or diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses according to DSM-V criteria
Where it's running
-
University Hospital Inselspital, Berne
Bern, Switzerland Recruiting -
Czech Technical University Prague
Prague, Czechia Active not recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Paul Krack, Prof. — Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
- Study coordinator: Paul Krack, Prof.
- Email: paul.krack@insel.ch
- Phone: 31 66 4 03 71
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.