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Speech subsystems are susceptible to the effects of several factors including medications. The atypical antipsychotics can also adversely affect the speech because of its action on serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters. The present study aims to analyze the speech characteristics associated with atypical antipsychotic risperidone. Speech of 92 patients on risperidone with or without trihexyphenidyl and/or clonazepam were compared with that of 31 persons who were not on any psychotropic medicines. Compared to control group, maximum phonation duration, sequential motion rate of diadochokinesia was reduced by about 3s and 1syllable/s respectively and s/z ratio was increased by 0.16 in patients with risperidone. Performance of larynx, lips and tongue sub-system and intelligibility of speech were also significantly reduced in risperidone group. Risperidone did impact the phonation and articulation sub-systems of speech mildly, which was independent of tardive dyskinesia and extrapyramidal symptoms. Randomized controlled prospective study looking into impact on speech and related effect on drug adherence, functioning and quality of life needs to be conducted with risperidone and other atypical antipsychotics., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There are very few acoustic studies reflecting on the localization of speech function within the different loci of the cerebellum. Task based performance profile of subjects with lesion in different cerebellar loci is not reported. Also, the findings on nonfocal cerebellar lesions cannot be generalized to lesions restricted to the cerebellum. Hence, this study was undertaken to reflect upon the differential performance if any of subjects with lesions in different cerebellar loci based on phonatory and diadochokinetic (DDK) tasks. The aims and objectives of this study were to see the pattern of phonatory and DDK measures in dysarthria due to lesions in different cerebellar loci. The study aimed to see if there is a task based localization of speech within the cerebellum. Findings and implications of this study are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 8 graphs.)