Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Bridging the Gap: Translating Research to Clinical Practice
Dr. Karen Hegland (left) and close collaborator Dr. Michelle Troche of Columbia University (right), have been awarded a grant by the Michael J. Fox Foundation to study a novel behavioral treatment for airway protection deficits in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), who often succumb to aspiration pneumonia. Drs. Hegland and Troche developed the treatment based on their preliminary data showing the potential for voluntary up-regulation of reflexive cough in people with PD. This study will be the first to investigate a behavioral treatment for disordered cough in any patient population, representing a significant advancement for the management of patients with airway protective disorders.