Background: dysarthrias are commonly found in patients with spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA).
Aim: to characterize perceptual and acoustic features of speech in three patients with spinocerebellar ataxia and to verify the presence of similar features among these patients.
Method: speech samples of two males with SCA3 and one male with SCA2 were obtained. Both perceptual and acoustic analyses were done.
Results: It was observed strain-strangled and breathiness phonation, vocal instability, increased noise-to-harmonics ratio and low alternate motion rate (AMR) and speech rate in all three patients. Deviated resonance and s/z ratio were also observed.
Conclusion: phonatory disorders and altered temporal patterns of speech seem to be typical in dysarthric patients with spinocerebellar ataxia.