Stanford PD Community Blog

Earlier this month, there were two webinars presented on the Parkinson Voice Project and the “SPEAK OUT!®” program—a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to preserving and improving speech and swallowing for people with Parkinson’s disease. Speech language pathologist Julia Lidgard, SLP, presented “Living with Intention: Maintaining Your Voice with Parkinson’s SPEAK OUT!” for the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) Virginia Chapter. Two days later, Samantha Elandary, SLP, founder of the Parkinson Voice Project, was interviewed on a Being Patient Facebook live event titled “Parkinson Voice Project: Protecting Speech in Parkinson’s.” 

For decades, scientists believed brain structure was fixed after childhood, but imaging and research has shown something that our brains continue to change and adapt well into adulthood. This shift from a “fixed brain” to a “plastic brain” model has changed what we know about brain health and Parkinson’s disease.

Exercise is not just beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease—it’s essential medicine. In early February 2026, Dr. Daniel Corcos, a Northwestern University professor of physical therapy and human movement sciences, shared insights about exercise and Parkinson’s in an interview with Being Patient. His message: exercise provides both immediate day-to-day benefits (improved mood, concentration, symptom management) and long-term benefits (slowing disease progression), making it one of the most powerful tools available to people with Parkinson’s.