Association between speech rate measures and cognitive function in people with relapsing and progressive multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Background Cognitive impairments are well-documented in multiple sclerosis (MS), while speech impairments are often overlooked despite their significant effect on quality of life. For effective clinical management of multisystem conditions such as MS, consideration should be given to the interaction between deficits in multiple domains, such as speech and cognition. To evaluate speech rate measures of spontaneous and read speech, in people with MS and to examine the link between speech and cognition. Methods Forty-five people with MS and 25 controls underwent an extensive cognitive battery, including executive functioning, information processing and memory tasks, and completed two speech tasks: a reading task and a picture description task, from which speech rate measures were derived. Results The progressive MS cohort had reduced articulation ( p < 0.04) and speech rate ( p < 0.02) compared to controls and those with relapsing MS. Regression models also revealed information processing speed accounted for 18% to 30% of the variance of spontaneous speech rate measures, and 27% of read speech. Executive functioning accounted for a further 10% of the variance of speech rate in those with MS. Conclusions The present study suggests that speech production is contingent on cognitive ability, with information processing speed and executive functioning linked with speech timing patterns.

Multiple Sclerosis in the Digital Health Age: Challenges and Opportunities - A Systematic Review

“…Furthermore, comparisons between PwMS subgroups and HC highlighted several key findings. Patients with PPMS exhibited reduced articulation and speech rates compared to HC and patients with RRMS 100 . These changes in speech rate correlated with bilateral white and grey matter loss, brain atrophy, and the EDSS.…”

“…Several studies have focused on the task of sustaining the vowel /a/ for extended durations [93][94][95][96][97] , as well as the diadochokinetic syllable repetitions of /pa/-/ta/-/ka/ 93,94,97,98 . Furthermore, investigations have included tasks such as naming the days of the week 93,97 , reading tasks 93,94,[97][98][99][100][101][102] , monologue engagements 98 , narrating stories with positive content from memory 93,97 , and describing pictures or individuals 100,103 . Additionally, the exploration of tasks involving the production of the vowel /a/ at the highest pitch, phonation of the vowel /a/ at the lowest possible volume and reading words with a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) syllable structure has also been documented 95 .…”