Thesis Working Title: Speech changes in Parkinson’s disease: a neuroimaging and behavioural approach to disentangling motor and cognitive contributions.

Parkinson’s disease causes communication problems in up to 90% of people. Our recent research shows that people with Parkinson’s disease can develop stuttering over time. We are currently studying these changes in speech fluency and would like to understand how they are linked to changes in movement and cognition. We are also using MRI scans to study how changes in speech fluency are reflected in changes in the brain. The aim of this study is to help improve our understanding of communication problems in people with Parkinson’s disease, which will help us improve diagnosis and treatment approaches.