Optimising speech outcomes in Deep Brain Stimulation for essential tremor

Abstract

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is rapidly emerging as a safe and effective treatment option for mitigating the effects of tremor. Despite the relative success of DBS for treating tremor, a common and typically unquantified adverse effect of treatment is dysarthria (slurred speech). Current assessment protocols are driven by the qualitative judgements of treating clinicians and lack the sensitivity and objectivity required to make reliable decisions about treatment optimisation. Therefore we aimed to pilot a speech evaluation procedure that would form the basis of an objective clinical DBS optimisation tool for use in patients with tremor. Six patients diagnosed with essential tremor recei..