Auditory Attention and Sensory Memory in Parkinson’s Disease

An image of a man with his hand to his ear.

Parkinson's Disease is a motor disorder, but does it also affect hearing? 

Project is Not Currently Available

This project has reached full capacity for the current term. Please check back next semester for updates.

Project description

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurological disorder that primarily affects motor function. Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease have particular difficulty with producing clear, intelligible speech, often leading to frustration and social withdrawal. Recent evidence suggests that individual differences in challenges with speech production in this population may be related to challenges with speech perception, as speech and hearing are closely related systems. This project tests the hypothesis that people with Parkinson’s Disease will demonstrate individual differences in auditory attention and sensory memory that influence not only their ability to accurately follow conversations, but also to produce intelligible speech during conversations. 

Project outcome

Students will present the results of their research at a national or international conference and will have the opportunity to author a research manuscript. They will also obtain a fundamental understanding of auditory perception and how Parkinson’s disease may affect sensory attention and memory processing. Students will gain the skills necessary to independently collect data from a clinical population of human research participants. Students will also have gained insight into research design, analysis, and manuscript writing that will be beneficial to a future career in health-related research. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment Year-long
Start time Spring
In-person, remote, or hybrid? In-person
Level of collaboration Small group project (2-3 students)
Benefits Stipend
Who is eligible

Juniors

Seniors

Project mentor

Mishaela DiNino

Assistant Professor

Communicative Disorders and Sciences

Phone: (716) 829-5311

Email: dinino@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. After you’re approved to begin the project, your mentor will send the relevant materials. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

  • Reading papers related to Parkinson's Disease.
  • Complete training on study procedures.
  • Meet with other students involved in the larger project to discuss project roles.

Keywords

communicative disorders, parkinson's disease, hearing, memory, attention, speech