Parkinson Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
The overall objective of this study is to observe the effect of group Vocal performance training and performance experience on patients' reported symptoms and quality of life. The effectiveness of PD medications varies significantly in different patients depending on their symptoms. By using music-based interventions to improve symptoms that may be inadequately treated by medications, the investigators hope to improve quality of life in PD patients. Parkinsonics: A controlled study of group singing for quality of life and voice outcomes in Parkinson disease (PD) is a controlled crossover behavioral intervention study of once weekly choral classes for patients with idiopathic PD (progressing toward a group performance) and once weekly discussion/support group meetings.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALGroup singing
Weekly group singing classes led by professional choir instructor, lasting 90 minutes. 12 classes over 12 consecutive weeks.
BEHAVIORALFacilitated Discussion Group
Weekly facilitated discussion group led by Parkinson Disease educator, lasting 90 minutes. 12 sessions over 12 consecutive weeks.
Sponsors
Johns Hopkins University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 89 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of idiopathic PD based on UK Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for PD (Hughes et al. 1992).
Exclusion criteria
* Patients unable to consent to the study. * Patients unable or unwilling to participate in weekly singing classes for 12 weeks, or unwilling to perform in a concert setting. * Patients with active psychiatric disturbances (agitation, active hallucinations).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Parkinson Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ)-39 scores | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | Validated 39-item questionnaire |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Geriatric Depression Scale-15 | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | Validated depression self-rating |
| Lorig Self-efficacy scale | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | 5-item self-reported questionnaire |
| Short Form-36 | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | Self-reported questionnaire assessing patients' health based on their physical and mental well-being |
| Voice-Related Quality of Life | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | Validated 10-item questionnaire |
| Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Motor scores | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | Validated Parkinson disease motor assessment scale |
| Sound pressure level (decibels) | Change from baseline levels at 30 weeks | Assessed while reading the standardized Rainbow passage and describing the cookie theft picture at a 50cm distance from the microphone (using a portable professional decibel meter). |
| Voice jitter | Change from baseline values at 30 weeks | Analysis will be performed using Praat software (Boersma and Weenink, version 5.4.01, http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/). There will be 3 trials per subject holding sounds A and E for as long as possible on one breath. Sound recordings are made for each trial. |
| Voice shimmer | Change from baseline values at 30 weeks | Analysis will be performed using Praat software (Boersma and Weenink, version 5.4.01, http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/). There will be 3 trials per subject holding sounds A and E for as long as possible on one breath. Sound recordings are made for each trial. |
| Harmonic to noise ratio | Change from baseline values at 30 weeks | Analysis will be performed using Praat software (Boersma and Weenink, version 5.4.01, http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/). There will be 3 trials per subject holding sounds A and E for as long as possible on one breath. Sound recordings are made for each trial. |
| Montreal Cognitive Assessment | Change from baseline scores at 30 weeks | Validated cognitive assessment |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility | 12 weeks | At least 80% of participants attending at least 9 of 12 singing classes and the final performance |
Outcome results
None listed