| Abstract: |
This study investigated the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BtA) on the speech intelligibility of an individual with lingual dystonia. Perceptual measures of intelligibility were obtained for single words, carrier phrases, and sentences. Acoustic analyses were performed on prolonged phonemes and selected single words. A second objective of this study was to explore the relationship between BtA use and the subject's perception of activity and participation restrictions contributing to her quality of life. A subjective evaluation of quality of life was obtained using the Voice Activity and Participation Profile (VAPP) measure. Results of this preliminary study suggest that BtA injected bilaterally into the intrinsic muscles of the tongue can improve speech intelligibility and speech acoustics in lingual dystonia. In addition, a substantial subjective benefit was derived on all domains of this patient's activity and participation scores, and ultimately, her quality of life following treatment with BtA. Results of this case study provide preliminary support for the use of BtA in the treatment of focal lingual dystonia. |
