Birdsong Could Offer Clues to Human Speech Disorders

UA researcher Julie Miller believes birds can help us understand the genetics behind language problems associated with Parkinson's disease. Speech problems accompany several common neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, although the cause of these problems is not well-studied. Julie Miller, an assistant professor in the Departments of Neuroscience and Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, has focused her attention on zebra finches for research into speech and language disorders, particularly those associated with Parkinson's.