Spasmodic dysphonia: What RFK Jr.'s voice condition means for his campaign
by Gabrielle M. Etzel, Healthcare Reporter |
June 10, 2023 05:00 AM
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s splash entry into the 2024 presidential field has drawn renewed attention to his rare voice disorder, spasmodic dysphonia.
The son of the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy has gained a marked following for a candidate challenging a sitting president within the same party. A May CNN poll, for example, found that 20% of Democrats support Kennedy over President Joe Biden.
Here's what to know about spasmodic dysphonia and its implications for Kennedy’s campaign.
Spasmodic dysphoniaSpasmodic dysphonia is exceedingly rare, affecting one in 100,000, according to Cleveland Clinic estimates.
The disorder affects the muscles in the larynx, colloquially known as the voice box, by preventing the vocal cords from vibrating in a way that produces a normal speech pattern.
“Spasmodic dysphonia causes voice breaks during speaking and can make the voice sound tight, strained, or breathy,” according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. “In more severe cases, spasms may occur on every word, making a person’s speech very difficult to understand.”
NIDCD identifies that the disorder is “thought to be caused by abnormal functioning in an area of the brain called the basal ganglia,” which coordinates muscle movement and language processing. Strokes and drug abuse can affect basal ganglia function.
There is no specific gene for spasmodic dysphonia, but the disorder does run in families, suggesting that familial genetic mutation patterns might be a cause.
Although there is no cure for the disorder, speech therapy and Botox injections are the most common forms of treatment.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/rfk-jr-rare-voice-disorder-spasmodic-dysphonia-campaign
