Podcast Episode: Developing a Novel App to Improve Speech Intelligibility in Parkinson's Disease with Dr. Gemma Moya-Galé

Parkinson’s disease often causes significant challenges in communication, making it harder for individuals to express themselves clearly, be understood, and engage in meaningful social interactions. Dr. Gemma Moya-Galé, an Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Director of the Communication, Technology, and Language Diversity Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University, explores this topic in depth. She discusses an app her team is developing, supported by funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation, designed to improve speech clarity for people with Parkinson’s. This app incorporates evidence-based methods from speech therapy and innovative noise-augmented automatic speech recognition technology to offer targeted speech training and real-time feedback, empowering users to enhance their communication skills. Dr. Moya-Galé also highlights her recent research on addressing communication challenges in culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Her work focuses on creating methods that are tailored to the unique needs of English- and Spanish-speaking individuals with Parkinson’s disease. By integrating cultural and linguistic considerations into treatment approaches, her research aims to improve clinical care and provide more inclusive, effective support for individuals with Parkinson’s in diverse communities.