Daphne Toglia Receives an F31 Grant!
Doctoral candidate Daphne Toglia has received an F31 grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders! This project, titled “Longitudinal examination of subsystem-specific decline in speech motor control and functional communication in Parkinson’s disease,” seeks to identify the motor control mechanisms driving speech deterioration in Parkinson’s disease (PD) through direct measurement of speech movements. The long-term goal of this project is to help speech therapy practices move beyond generic approaches and toward precision treatment, in which therapy targets are individualized based on the specific movement control problems a person with PD is experiencing. By identifying the movement control changes that drive speech decline in PD, this work aims to improve communication, preserve independence, and enhance quality of life for people living with PD. Congratulations, Daphne!