Hanna Steurer

I am a PhD student at the Division of Speech-Language Pathology since November 2019. I completed the half-time seminar in March 2022. I am also a 

Accepted as a doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet in 2019
Professional degree in Speech and language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet 

Research preparatory courses in physiology and pharmacology (advanced level), Karolinska Institutet 2011

Bachelor's degree in Biomedicine, Karolinska Institutet 2010

Characterization of Speech, Communication, and Cognition Along with Outcomes Following Intensive Intervention in Parkinson’s Disease

This doctoral project investigates the effects of an intensive group intervention (HiCommunication) on speech, voice, and communication in people with Parkinson’s disease, as well as associated changes in brain connectivity. Additionally, it explores the feasibility of using a method to monitor daily voice use to assess the transfer of treatment effects from clinical settings to everyday life. The project also examines the relationship between speech and voice function, cognitive status, and structural and functional neuroimaging outcomes in people with Parkinson's disease. Based on the collected data, potential differences in treatment responsiveness are evaluated.

Data for the project are drawn from a large randomized controlled trial involving 95 individuals with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease. Methodologies include acoustic and perceptual analysis of speech, analysis of structural and functional neuroimaging, and ambulatory phonation monitoring.

The doctoral project is part of a collaboration between the Department of