vocal signal analysis in patients affected by multiple sclerosis

Abstract Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorder that presents specific manifestations among which the impaired speech (known also as dysarthria). The evaluation of the speech plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and follow-up since the identification of anomalous patterns in vocal signal may represent a valid support to physician in diagnosis and monitoring of these neurological diseases. In this contribution, we present a method to perform voice analysis of neurologically impaired patients affected by MS aiming to early detection, differential diagnosis, and monitoring of disease progression. This method integrates two well-known methodologies to support the health structure in MS diagnosis in clinical practice. Acoustic analysis and vowel metric methodologies have been considered to implement this procedure to better define the pathological voices compared to healthy voices. Specifically, the method acquires and analyzes vocal signals performing features extraction and identifying possible important patterns useful to associate impaired speech with this neurological disease. The contribution consists in furnishing to physician a guide method to support MS trend. As result, this method furnishes patterns that could be valid indicators for physician in monitoring of patients affected by MS. Moreover, the procedure is appropriate to be used in early diagnosis that is critical in order to improve the patient's quality of life

10th Workshop on Biomedical and Bioinformatics Challenges for Computer Science - BBC2017

Agapito, G., Cannataro, M., Castelli, M., Dondi, R., & Zoppis, I. (2017). 10th Workshop on Biomedical and Bioinformatics Challenges for Computer Science - BBC2017. Procedia Computer Science, 108, 1113-1114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.05.279We present the 10th Workshop on Biomedical and Bioinformatics Challenges for Computer Science - BBC2017, held in Zurich, 12 - 14 June 2017.publishersversionpublishe

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is among the most frequent neurological diseases, which affect seriously the quality of life of a constantly increasing number of patients, inducing physical and mental invalidism with indefinite perspectives. The ongoing investigation of the pathogenetic background and the inconclusive analysis of many pathophysiological mechanisms and serious neuropathological alterations of the disease are dominant crucial topics in the field of neurosciences, aimed at tracing a definite way to a therapeutic approach. The authors of this volume attempt to throw light on the labyrinth of multiple sclerosis, approaching the disease from the viewpoint of epidemiology, autoimmune reactions, symptomatology, mental and physical decline, diagnostic procedures, prognosis, and treatment. The authors submit herein, along with scientific data, their hope of contributing effectively to ameliorating the quality of life of those suffering from multiple sclerosis who wait patiently for the day of recovery

Characteristics of speech and voice as predictors of the quality of communication in adults with dysarthria

Дизартрија представља моторни поремећај говора који захвата респирацију, фонацију, резонанцију, артикулацију и прозодију и може се манифестовати оштећењем свих или само неких компоненти процеса говорне продукције. Особе са дизартријом имају нарушену разумљивост говора као и квалитет комуникације. Основни циљеви истраживања су били да се утврде карактеристике говора и гласа одраслих особа са хипокинетичком, спастичном, флацидном и атаксичном дизартријом применом акустичке и спектралне анализе и да се утврди квалитет комуникације коју остварују ове особе применом инструмента за самопроцену степена хендикепа у комуникацији. Крајњи циљ истраживања се односио на утврђивање карактеристика говора и гласа које представљају предикторе квалитета комуникације код особа са различитим типовима дизартрије. Узорак је чинило 129 испитаника са дизартријом, од чега 33 са хипокинетичком, 36 са спастичном и по 30 са флацидном и атаксичном дизартријом. Испитаници су били оба пола, узраста од 21 до 94 године (М=66,07). У истраживању су коришћени следећи инструменти: Компјутерски програм за мултидимензионалну анализу гласа (MDVP) ради утврђивања вредности акустичких параметара који указују на варијабилност фреквенције гласа, на варијабилност интензитета гласа, на присуство тремора и шума у гласу, на постојање субхармоника и прекида у гласу, као и периода без гласа и ради утврђивања вредности спектралних параметара свих вокала и појединих консонаната; Балансирани текст на основу кога је извршена спектрална анализа гласа; Скала ,,Индекс гласовног оштећења“ (VHI) на основу које је извршена процена квалитета комуникације особа са дизартријом. Добијени резулати су указали на то да карактеристике говора и гласа одраслих особа са дизартријом значајно одступају од норми и да се разликују међу испитаницима са хипокинетичком, флацидном, спастичном и атаксичном дизартријом. Такође показало се да је код особа са дизартријом нарушен квалитет комуникације и да постоје сличности међу испитаницима са различитим типовима дизартрије у степену доживљеног хендикепа насталог услед поремећаја гласа. На основу резултата је утврђено да вредности акустичких и спектралних параметара који одређују карактеристике говора и гласа одраслих особа са дизартријом представљају предикторе квалитета комуникације и да се они разликују међу субгрупама испитаника. Такође се показало да социодемографске карактеристике испитаника, као и тип дизартрије могу представљати предикторе квалитета комуникације.Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that involves respiration, phonation, resonance, articulation, and prosody, and can be manifested by damage of all or only some components of the speech production process. People with dysarthria have impaired speech intelligibility, and quality of communication. The main goals of the research were to determine the characteristics of speech and voice in adults with hypokinetic, spastic, flaccid and ataxic dysarthria by using an acoustic and spectral analysis, and to determine the quality of communication achieved by these individuals by applying a voice handicap self-assessment instrument. The ultimate goal of the research was to determine the characteristics of speech and voice that are predictors of the quality of communication in individuals with various types of dysarthria. The sample consisted of 129 respondents with dysarthria, 33 of them being with hypokinetic, 36 with spastic and 30 with flaccid and ataxic dysarthria each. The respondents were of both sexes aged 21-94 (М=66,07). The following instruments were used in the research: Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) analysis to determine the values of acoustic parameters that indicate the variability of voice frequency, the variability of voice intensity, the presence of tremor and noise in the voice, the presence of subharmonics and interruptions in the voice, as well as periods without voice, and to determine the values of the spectral parameters of аll vowels and certain consonants; Balanced text based on which spectral analysis of the speech was performed; “Voice Handicap Index” (VHI) scale used to assess the quality of communication in individuals with dysarthria. The obtained results showed that characteristics of speech and voice in adults with dysarthria significantly deviate from norms and that they differ among the respondents with hypokinetic, flaccid, spastic and ataxic dysarthria. Also, they showed that the quality of communication was impaired in individuals with dysarthria and that there are similarities among respondents with different types of dysarthria in the degree of handicap experienced by different voice disorders. Based on the results, it was determined that values of acoustic and spectral parameters that determine the characteristics of speech and voice in adults with dysarthria are the predictors of the quality of communication and that they differ among subgroups of respondents. Also, it has been shown that sociodemographic characteristics of respondents and the type of dysarthria can be predictors of the quality of communication