Affiliations: [a]
Department of Neurology, Huntington-Centre NRW, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| [b]
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Huntington Centre South, kbo-Isar-Amper-Klinikum, Taufkirchen (Vils), Germany
| [c]
Institute of Neuroradiology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| [d]
Department of Neurology, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: Julia Jessen, MD, Department of Neurology, Huntington-Centre NRW, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Gudrunstrasse 56, D-44791 Bochum, Germany. Tel.: +49 234 509 2701; Fax: +49 234 509 2740; E-mail: Julia.Jessen@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
Abstract: Speech alterations have been reported in manifest Huntington’s disease (HD) and premanifest mutation carriers (preHD). The aim of our study was to explore these alterations in preHD and whether they can be used as biomarkers. 13 preHD mutation carriers performed reading task, sustained phonation task and syllable repetition tasks at baseline and after 21 months, as well as clinical examination and MRI. Syllable repetition capacity and self-chosen velocity of single syllable repetition differed significantly between time points. There were no changes in clinical ratings or MRI volumetry. Measurements of speech might be sensitive tools for monitoring subclinical changes in preHD.
