SARA-Feasibility of automated assessment of ataxic speech disturbance.

Ataxias are a group of movement disorders that are characterized by progressive loss of balance, impaired coordination and speech disturbance, which together lead to markedly reduced quality of life. Speech disturbance is clinically diagnosed, but methods for objective assessment of severity are lacking. Using 71 sets of speech recordings from ataxia patients, we developed an automated classification system. With a tolerance of ±1 point, this classification system correctly predicted experts' ratings of speech disturbance according to item 4 of the Scale for Assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) in 80% of cases. We thereby demonstrate feasibility of computer-assisted voice analysis for automated assessment of severity of speech disturbance.