Digital biomarkers for speech changes in Parkinson`s disease (T01*)

• Subject Area: Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 281511265

The project serves to transfer basic knowledge of speech changes in neurotypical and pathological speech into clinical routine. In collaboration with the industry partner ki:elements GmbH, we aim to gain scientific insight into whether an algorithm can be developed that uses digital speech-based biomarkers to reliably detect the presence and severity of clinically relevant speech changes in people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD). We investigate speech changes with respect to varying communicative demands in a multi-dimensional phonetic space under both experimental and real-life conditions. The proposed algorithm can be applied to clinical practice at a later stage in order to help preserve communicative skills of PwPD and to counteract the undersupply of timely speech therapy in the near future.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres (Transfer Project)
• Subproject of: SFB 1252: Prominence in Language
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Business and Industry: ki elements GmbH
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Michael Barbe; Professorin Dr. Doris Mücke