Conditions: Cough Parkinson's Disease
Keywords: Cough Reflex Voluntary Healthy older adults Parkinson's disease Respiratory kinematics Cueing
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 44
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
The purpose of this research study is to test cough function in individuals with Parkinson's disease and healthy older adults. Cough is a complex, defensive function which involves movement of the chest and lungs. The investigators want to compare the movement of the chest wall and the lungs during voluntary and reflex cough.

The long-term goal of this research is to develop treatments for people with cough dysfunction. Cough dysfunction increases the risk for respiratory infections such as pneumonia. The results from this study will provide information to help researchers understand the difference between reflex and voluntary cough more fully.

Detailed description:
If the participant agrees to participate, the investigators will first test pulmonary (lung) function. Next, the investigators will test voluntary and reflex cough. After this first round of cough testing, the investigators will ask participants to cough long and hard during voluntary and reflex cough testing. Finally, the investigators will view the larynx (voice box) with an endoscopic camera inserted through the nose. This test is done to see if there are any changes in the larynx that may influence cough.

Arms:
arm 1: All participants will receive reflex and voluntary cough testing. This will include coughing on command (voluntary cough) and coughing in response to capsaicin (reflex cough). This data will me measured to determine the strength of the cough (from both voluntary and reflex cough) and cough sensitivity (reflex cough only). Following baseline reflex and voluntary cough assessment, the participants will be cued to cough long and hard during both reflex and voluntary cough tasks. These data will help the investigators understand the baseline characteristics of voluntary and reflex cough, whether older adults can modify the magnitude of their cough response with verbal and visual cues. arm 2: All participants will receive reflex and voluntary cough testing. This will include coughing on command (voluntary cough) and coughing in response to capsaicin (reflex cough). This data will me measured to determine the strength of the cough (from both voluntary and reflex cough) and cough sensitivity (reflex cough only). Following baseline reflex and voluntary cough assessment, the participants will be cued to cough long and hard during both reflex and voluntary cough tasks. These data will help the investigators understand the baseline characteristics of voluntary and reflex cough, whether older adults can modify the magnitude of their cough response with verbal and visual cues.

Interventions: intervention 1: Capsaicin intervention 2: Voluntary cough test
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: For reflex cough testing, all participants will receive various concentrations of nebulized capsaicin. Delivery of multiple concentrations and doses of capsaicin allows for accurate assessment of both the strength (airflow measures) of reflex, as well as cough sensitivity. intervention 2: Participants will be fitted with a facemask covering their mouth and nose, and instructed to cough into the facemask.

Protocol document: