Thea Knowles, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, assistant professor in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University, and her collaborators have been awarded two competitive grants to support their innovative research on communication challenges in Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonism.

The project is jointly funded by an Early Career Research Grant (R21) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and a Collaborative Approaches to Resources, Education and Support (CARES) Grant from CurePSP. Co-investigators include researchers from MSU, Henry Ford Health, and the University of Michigan.

Over 50% of individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related conditions experience hypophonia—a soft, breathy, or hoarse voice that makes communication difficult. Current treatment focuses on reteaching individuals to speak louder and more intentionally, but this approach often places added stress on people managing progressive disease, fatigue, and cognitive changes.

Dr. Knowles’ team is investigating the use of speech amplification devices as a promising adjunctive approach. Their research examines how these portable devices can improve speech volume and clarity, both on their own and when combined with behavioral speech strategies. The team is also working to identify acoustic features and device enhancements that could further optimize outcomes and lead to more personalized, evidence-based treatment options.