Neuromuscular Control Examination (NMC) for Parkinsonism: Vowel Prolongations and Diadochokinetic and Reading Rates

Abstract

Measures of sustained phonation, diadochokinesis, and reading rate were recorded and contrasted for samples from populations. The three sets of subjects were healthy young normal adults, healthy elderly adults, and patients with Parkinsonism. Results indicate that reduced ability to prolong vowels and read rapidly is associated with both advanced age and Parkinsonism. Syllable diadochokinetic rates fail to differentiate between normal subjects and subjects with Parkinsonism, while diadochokinetic rates for an interrupted vowel /i/ and a repeated vowel glide /u-i/ did differentiate between these groups. Diadochokinetic and reading rates tend to correlate with each other but do not correlate with the duration for prolonged vowels.