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Dahl KL, Cádiz MD, Zuk J, Guenther FH, Stepp CE. Controlling Pitch for Prosody: Sensorimotor Adaptation in Linguistically Meaningful Contexts. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:440-454. [PMID: 38241671 PMCID: PMC11000799 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study examined how speakers adapt to fundamental frequency (fo) errors that affect the use of prosody to convey linguistic meaning, whether fo adaptation in that context relates to adaptation in linguistically neutral sustained vowels, and whether cue trading is reflected in responses in the prosodic cues of fo and amplitude. METHOD Twenty-four speakers said vowels and sentences while fo was digitally altered to induce predictable errors. Shifts in fo (±200 cents) were applied to the entire sustained vowel and one word (emphasized or unemphasized) in sentences. Two prosodic cues-fo and amplitude-were extracted. The effects of fo shifts, shift direction, and emphasis on fo response magnitude were evaluated with repeated-measures analyses of variance. Relationships between adaptive fo responses in sentences and vowels and between adaptive fo and amplitude responses were evaluated with Spearman correlations. RESULTS Speakers adapted to fo errors in both linguistically meaningful sentences and linguistically neutral vowels. Adaptive fo responses of unemphasized words were smaller than those of emphasized words when fo was shifted upward. There was no relationship between adaptive fo responses in vowels and emphasized words, but adaptive fo and amplitude responses were strongly, positively correlated. CONCLUSIONS Sensorimotor adaptation occurs in response to fo errors regardless of how disruptive the error is to linguistic meaning. Adaptation to fo errors during sustained vowels may not involve the exact same mechanisms as sensorimotor adaptation as it occurs in meaningful speech. The relationship between adaptive responses in fo and amplitude supports an integrated model of prosody. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25008908.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L. Dahl
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Manuel Díaz Cádiz
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Jennifer Zuk
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Frank H. Guenther
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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Kapsner-Smith MR, Abur D, Eadie TL, Stepp CE. Test-Retest Reliability of Behavioral Assays of Feedforward and Feedback Auditory-Motor Control of Voice and Articulation. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:34-48. [PMID: 37992404 PMCID: PMC11000789 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Behavioral assays of feedforward and feedback auditory-motor control of voice and articulation frequently are used to make inferences about underlying neural mechanisms and to study speech development and disorders. However, no studies have examined the test-retest reliability of such measures, which is critical for rigorous study of auditory-motor control. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to assess the reliability of assays of feedforward and feedback control in voice versus articulation domains. METHOD Twenty-eight participants (14 cisgender women, 12 cisgender men, one transgender man, one transmasculine/nonbinary) who denied any history of speech, hearing, or neurological impairment were measured for responses to predictable versus unexpected auditory feedback perturbations of vocal (fundamental frequency, fo) and articulatory (first formant, F1) acoustic parameters twice, with 3-6 weeks between sessions. Reliability was measured with intraclass correlations. RESULTS Opposite patterns of reliability were observed for fo and F1; fo reflexive responses showed good reliability and fo adaptive responses showed poor reliability, whereas F1 reflexive responses showed poor reliability and F1 adaptive responses showed moderate reliability. However, a criterion-referenced categorical measurement of fo adaptive responses as typical versus atypical showed substantial test-retest agreement. CONCLUSIONS Individual responses to some behavioral assays of auditory-motor control of speech should be interpreted with caution, which has implications for several fields of research. Additional research is needed to establish reliable criterion-referenced measures of F1 adaptive responses as well as fo and F1 reflexive responses. Furthermore, the opposite patterns of test-retest reliability observed for voice versus articulation add to growing evidence for differences in underlying neural control mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Defne Abur
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Computational Linguistics, Center for Language and Cognition, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
- Research School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Tanya L. Eadie
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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Miller HE, Kearney E, Nieto-Castañón A, Falsini R, Abur D, Acosta A, Chao SC, Dahl KL, Franken M, Heller Murray ES, Mollaei F, Niziolek CA, Parrell B, Perrachione T, Smith DJ, Stepp CE, Tomassi N, Guenther FH. Do Not Cut Off Your Tail: A Mega-Analysis of Responses to Auditory Perturbation Experiments. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:4315-4331. [PMID: 37850867 PMCID: PMC10715843 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The practice of removing "following" responses from speech perturbation analyses is increasingly common, despite no clear evidence as to whether these responses represent a unique response type. This study aimed to determine if the distribution of responses to auditory perturbation paradigms represents a bimodal distribution, consisting of two distinct response types, or a unimodal distribution. METHOD This mega-analysis pooled data from 22 previous studies to examine the distribution and magnitude of responses to auditory perturbations across four tasks: adaptive pitch, adaptive formant, reflexive pitch, and reflexive formant. Data included at least 150 unique participants for each task, with studies comprising younger adult, older adult, and Parkinson's disease populations. A Silverman's unimodality test followed by a smoothed bootstrap resampling technique was performed for each task to evaluate the number of modes in each distribution. Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests were also performed for each distribution to confirm significant compensation in response to the perturbation. RESULTS Modality analyses were not significant (p > .05) for any group or task, indicating unimodal distributions. Our analyses also confirmed compensatory reflexive responses to pitch and formant perturbations across all groups, as well as adaptive responses to sustained formant perturbations. However, analyses of sustained pitch perturbations only revealed evidence of adaptation in studies with younger adults. CONCLUSION The demonstration of a clear unimodal distribution across all tasks suggests that following responses do not represent a distinct response pattern, but rather the tail of a unimodal distribution. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24282676.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary E. Miller
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Elaine Kearney
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | | | - Riccardo Falsini
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Defne Abur
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Alexander Acosta
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Sara-Ching Chao
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe
| | - Kimberly L. Dahl
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Matthias Franken
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Fatemeh Mollaei
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, England
| | - Caroline A. Niziolek
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin–Madison
| | - Benjamin Parrell
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin–Madison
| | - Tyler Perrachione
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Dante J. Smith
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Nicole Tomassi
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, MA
| | - Frank H. Guenther
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
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Terband H, van Brenk F. Modeling Responses to Auditory Feedback Perturbations in Adults, Children, and Children With Complex Speech Sound Disorders: Evidence for Impaired Auditory Self-Monitoring? JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:1563-1587. [PMID: 37071803 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-22-00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous studies have found that typically developing (TD) children were able to compensate and adapt to auditory feedback perturbations to a similar or larger degree compared to young adults, while children with speech sound disorder (SSD) were found to produce predominantly following responses. However, large individual differences lie underneath the group-level results. This study investigates possible mechanisms in responses to formant shifts by modeling parameters of feedback and feedforward control of speech production based on behavioral data. METHOD SimpleDIVA was used to model an existing dataset of compensation/adaptation behavior to auditory feedback perturbations collected from three groups of Dutch speakers: 50 young adults, twenty-three 4- to 8-year-old children with TD speech, and seven 4- to 8-year-old children with SSD. Between-groups and individual within-group differences in model outcome measures representing auditory and somatosensory feedback control gain and feedforward learning rate were assessed. RESULTS Notable between-groups and within-group variation was found for all outcome measures. Data modeled for individual speakers yielded model fits with varying reliability. Auditory feedback control gain was negative in children with SSD and positive in both other groups. Somatosensory feedback control gain was negative for both groups of children and marginally negative for adults. Feedforward learning rate measures were highest in the children with TD speech followed by children with SSD, compared to adults. CONCLUSIONS The SimpleDIVA model was able to account for responses to the perturbation of auditory feedback other than corrective, as negative auditory feedback control gains were associated with following responses to vowel shifts. These preliminary findings are suggestive of impaired auditory self-monitoring in children with complex SSD. Possible mechanisms underlying the nature of following responses are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayo Terband
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City
| | - Frits van Brenk
- Faculty of Humanities, Department of Languages, Literature and Communication & Institute for Language Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY
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Kearney E, Nieto-Castañón A, Falsini R, Daliri A, Heller Murray ES, Smith DJ, Guenther FH. Quantitatively characterizing reflexive responses to pitch perturbations. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:929687. [PMID: 36405080 PMCID: PMC9666385 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.929687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reflexive pitch perturbation experiments are commonly used to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying vocal motor control. In these experiments, the fundamental frequency–the acoustic correlate of pitch–of a speech signal is shifted unexpectedly and played back to the speaker via headphones in near real-time. In response to the shift, speakers increase or decrease their fundamental frequency in the direction opposing the shift so that their perceived pitch is closer to what they intended. The goal of the current work is to develop a quantitative model of responses to reflexive perturbations that can be interpreted in terms of the physiological mechanisms underlying the response and that captures both group-mean data and individual subject responses. Methods A model framework was established that allowed the specification of several models based on Proportional-Integral-Derivative and State-Space/Directions Into Velocities of Articulators (DIVA) model classes. The performance of 19 models was compared in fitting experimental data from two published studies. The models were evaluated in terms of their ability to capture both population-level responses and individual differences in sensorimotor control processes. Results A three-parameter DIVA model performed best when fitting group-mean data from both studies; this model is equivalent to a single-rate state-space model and a first-order low pass filter model. The same model also provided stable estimates of parameters across samples from individual subject data and performed among the best models to differentiate between subjects. The three parameters correspond to gains in the auditory feedback controller’s response to a perceived error, the delay of this response, and the gain of the somatosensory feedback controller’s “resistance” to this correction. Excellent fits were also obtained from a four-parameter model with an additional auditory velocity error term; this model was better able to capture multi-component reflexive responses seen in some individual subjects. Conclusion Our results demonstrate the stereotyped nature of an individual’s responses to pitch perturbations. Further, we identified a model that captures population responses to pitch perturbations and characterizes individual differences in a stable manner with parameters that relate to underlying motor control capabilities. Future work will evaluate the model in characterizing responses from individuals with communication disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Kearney
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Elaine Kearney,
| | - Alfonso Nieto-Castañón
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- The McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Riccardo Falsini
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ayoub Daliri
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | | | - Dante J. Smith
- Gradutate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Frank H. Guenther
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Weerathunge HR, Tomassi NE, Stepp CE. What Can Altered Auditory Feedback Paradigms Tell Us About Vocal Motor Control in Individuals With Voice Disorders? PERSPECTIVES OF THE ASHA SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 2022; 7:959-976. [PMID: 37397620 PMCID: PMC10312128 DOI: 10.1044/2022_persp-21-00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The goal of this review article is to provide a summary of the progression of altered auditory feedback (AAF) as a method to understand the pathophysiology of voice disorders. This review article focuses on populations with voice disorders that have thus far been studied using AAF, including individuals with Parkinson's disease, cerebellar degeneration, hyperfunctional voice disorders, vocal fold paralysis, and laryngeal dystonia. Studies using AAF have found that individuals with Parkinson's disease, cerebellar degeneration, and laryngeal dystonia have hyperactive auditory feedback responses due to differing underlying causes. In persons with PD, the hyperactivity may be a compensatory mechanism for atypically weak feedforward motor control. In individuals with cerebellar degeneration and laryngeal dystonia, the reasons for hyperactivity remain unknown. Individuals with hyperfunctional voice disorders may have auditory-motor integration deficits, suggesting atypical updating of feedforward motor control. Conclusions These findings have the potential to provide critical insights to clinicians in selecting the most effective therapy techniques for individuals with voice disorders. Future collaboration between clinicians and researchers with the shared objective of improving AAF as an ecologically feasible and valid tool for clinical assessment may provide more personalized therapy targets for individuals with voice disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasini R. Weerathunge
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Nicole E. Tomassi
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, MA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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Coughler C, Quinn de Launay KL, Purcell DW, Oram Cardy J, Beal DS. Pediatric Responses to Fundamental and Formant Frequency Altered Auditory Feedback: A Scoping Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:858863. [PMID: 35664350 PMCID: PMC9157279 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.858863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The ability to hear ourselves speak has been shown to play an important role in the development and maintenance of fluent and coherent speech. Despite this, little is known about the developing speech motor control system throughout childhood, in particular if and how vocal and articulatory control may differ throughout development. A scoping review was undertaken to identify and describe the full range of studies investigating responses to frequency altered auditory feedback in pediatric populations and their contributions to our understanding of the development of auditory feedback control and sensorimotor learning in childhood and adolescence. Method Relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search strategy of six academic databases for studies that included (a) real-time perturbation of frequency in auditory input, (b) an analysis of immediate effects on speech, and (c) participants aged 18 years or younger. Results Twenty-three articles met inclusion criteria. Across studies, there was a wide variety of designs, outcomes and measures used. Manipulations included fundamental frequency (9 studies), formant frequency (12), frequency centroid of fricatives (1), and both fundamental and formant frequencies (1). Study designs included contrasts across childhood, between children and adults, and between typical, pediatric clinical and adult populations. Measures primarily explored acoustic properties of speech responses (latency, magnitude, and variability). Some studies additionally examined the association of these acoustic responses with clinical measures (e.g., stuttering severity and reading ability), and neural measures using electrophysiology and magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion Findings indicated that children above 4 years generally compensated in the opposite direction of the manipulation, however, in several cases not as effectively as adults. Overall, results varied greatly due to the broad range of manipulations and designs used, making generalization challenging. Differences found between age groups in the features of the compensatory vocal responses, latency of responses, vocal variability and perceptual abilities, suggest that maturational changes may be occurring in the speech motor control system, affecting the extent to which auditory feedback is used to modify internal sensorimotor representations. Varied findings suggest vocal control develops prior to articulatory control. Future studies with multiple outcome measures, manipulations, and more expansive age ranges are needed to elucidate findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Coughler
- Graduate Program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Caitlin Coughler,
| | - Keelia L. Quinn de Launay
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David W. Purcell
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- National Centre for Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Janis Oram Cardy
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- National Centre for Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Deryk S. Beal
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Tomassi NE, Weerathunge HR, Cushman MR, Bohland JW, Stepp CE. Assessing Ecologically Valid Methods of Auditory Feedback Measurement in Individuals With Typical Speech. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:121-135. [PMID: 34941381 PMCID: PMC9153919 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Auditory feedback is thought to contribute to the online control of speech production. Yet, the standard method of estimating auditory feedback control (i.e., reflexive responses to auditory-motor perturbations), although sound, requires specialized instrumentation, meticulous calibration, unnatural tasks, and specific acoustic environments. The purpose of this study was to explore more ecologically valid features of speech production to determine their relationships with auditory feedback mechanisms. METHOD Two previously proposed measures of within-utterance variability (centering and baseline variability) were compared with reflexive response magnitudes in 30 adults with typical speech. These three measures were estimated for both the laryngeal and articulatory subsystems of speech. RESULTS Regardless of the speech subsystem, neither centering nor baseline variability was shown to be related to reflexive response magnitudes. Likewise, no relationships were found between centering and baseline variability. CONCLUSIONS Despite previous suggestions that centering and baseline variability may be related to auditory feedback mechanisms, this study did not support these assertions. However, the detection of such relationships may have required a larger degree of variability in responses, relative to that found in those with typical speech. Future research on these relationships is warranted in populations with more heterogeneous responses, such as children or clinical populations. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.17330546.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E. Tomassi
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, MA
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Hasini R. Weerathunge
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
| | - Megan R. Cushman
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Jason W. Bohland
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, MA
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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Cheung ST, Thompson K, Chen JL, Yunusova Y, Beal DS. Response patterns to vowel formant perturbations in children. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:2647. [PMID: 34717445 DOI: 10.1121/10.0006567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Auditory feedback is an important component of speech motor control, but its precise role in developing speech is less understood. The role of auditory feedback in development was probed by perturbing the speech of children 4-9 years old. The vowel sound /ɛ/ was shifted to /æ/ in real time and presented to participants as their own auditory feedback. Analyses of the resultant formant magnitude changes in the participants' speech indicated that children compensated and adapted by adjusting their formants to oppose the perturbation. Older and younger children responded to perturbation differently in F1 and F2. The compensatory change in F1 was greater for younger children, whereas the increase in F2 was greater for older children. Adaptation aftereffects were observed in both groups. Exploratory directional analyses in the two-dimensional formant space indicated that older children responded more directly and less variably to the perturbation than younger children, shifting their vowels back toward the vowel sound /ɛ/ to oppose the perturbation. Findings support the hypothesis that auditory feedback integration continues to develop between the ages of 4 and 9 years old such that the differences in the adaptive and compensatory responses arise between younger and older children despite receiving the same auditory feedback perturbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie T Cheung
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 1R8, Canada
| | - Kristen Thompson
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 1R8, Canada
| | - Joyce L Chen
- Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2W6, Canada
| | - Yana Yunusova
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7, Canada
| | - Deryk S Beal
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 1R8, Canada
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Scheerer NE, Jones JA, Iarocci G. Exploring the Relationship between Prosodic Control and Social Competence in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:1880-1892. [PMID: 33043618 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction. Speech is an important form of social communication. Prosody (e.g. vocal pitch, rhythm, etc.), one aspect of the speech signal, is crucial for ensuring information about the emotionality, excitability, and intent of the speaker, is accurately expressed. The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of how auditory information is used to regulate speech prosody in autistic and non-autistic children, while exploring the relationship between the prosodic control of speech and social competence. Eighty autistic (M = 8.48 years, SD = 2.55) and non-autistic (M = 7.36 years, SD = 2.51) participants produced vocalizations while exposed to unaltered and frequency altered auditory feedback. The parent-report Multidimensional Social Competence Scale was used to assess social competence, while the Autism-Spectrum Quotient and the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales were used to assess autism characteristics. Results indicate that vocal response magnitudes and vocal variability were similar across autistic and non-autistic children. However, autistic children produced significantly faster responses to the auditory feedback manipulation. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that these faster responses were significantly associated with poorer parent-rated social competence and higher autism characteristics. These findings suggest that prosodic speech production differences are present in at least a subgroup of autistic children. These results represent a key step in understanding how atypicalities in the mechanisms supporting speech production may manifest in social-communication deficits, as well as broader social competence, and vice versa. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1880-1892. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC LAY SUMMARY: In this study, autistic and non-autistic children produced vowel sounds while listening to themselves through headphones. When the children heard their vocal pitch shifted upward or downward, they compensated by shifting their vocal pitch in the opposite direction. Interestingly, autistic children were faster to correct for the perceived vowel sound changes than their typically developing peers. Faster responses in the children with ASD were linked to poorer ratings of their social abilities by their parent. These results suggest that autistic and non-autistic children show differences in how quickly they control their speech, and these differences may be related to the social challenges experienced by autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole E Scheerer
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffery A Jones
- Department of Psychology and Laurier Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Grace Iarocci
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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Weerathunge HR, Abur D, Enos NM, Brown KM, Stepp CE. Auditory-Motor Perturbations of Voice Fundamental Frequency: Feedback Delay and Amplification. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:2846-2860. [PMID: 32755506 PMCID: PMC7890227 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-19-00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Gradual and sudden perturbations of vocal fundamental frequency (f o), also known as adaptive and reflexive f o perturbations, are techniques to study the influence of auditory feedback on voice f o control mechanisms. Previous vocal f o perturbations have incorporated varied setup-specific feedback delays and amplifications. Here, we investigated the effects of feedback delays (10-100 ms) and amplifications on both adaptive and reflexive f o perturbation paradigms, encapsulating the variability in equipment-specific delays (3-45 ms) and amplifications utilized in previous experiments. Method Responses to adaptive and reflexive f o perturbations were recorded in 24 typical speakers for four delay conditions (10, 40, 70, and 100 ms) or three amplification conditions (-10, +5, and +10 dB relative to microphone) in a counterbalanced order. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were carried out on the magnitude of f o responses to determine the effect of feedback condition. Results There was a statistically significant effect of the level of auditory feedback amplification on the response magnitude during adaptive f o perturbations, driven by the difference between +10- and -10-dB amplification conditions (hold phase difference: M = 38.3 cents, SD = 51.2 cents; after-effect phase: M = 66.1 cents, SD = 84.6 cents). No other statistically significant effects of condition were found for either paradigm. Conclusions Experimental equipment delays below 100 ms in behavioral paradigms do not affect the results of f o perturbation paradigms. As there is no statistically significant difference between the response magnitudes elicited by +5- and +10-dB auditory amplification conditions, this study is a confirmation that an auditory feedback amplification of +5 dB relative to microphone is sufficient to elicit robust compensatory responses for f o perturbation paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Defne Abur
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Nicole M. Enos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Computer Engineering, Boston University, MA
| | - Katherine M. Brown
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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12
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van Brenk F, Terband H. Compensatory and adaptive responses to real-time formant shifts in adults and children. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:2261. [PMID: 32359278 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Auditory feedback plays an important role in speech motor learning, yet, little is known about the strength of motor learning and feedback control in speech development. This study investigated compensatory and adaptive responses to auditory feedback perturbation in children (aged 4-9 years old) and young adults (aged 18-29 years old). Auditory feedback was perturbed by near-real-time shifting F1 and F2 of the vowel /ɪː/ during the production of consonant-vowel-consonant words. Children were able to compensate and adapt in a similar or larger degree compared to young adults. Higher token-to-token variability was found in children compared to adults but not disproportionately higher during the perturbation phases compared to the unperturbed baseline. The added challenge to auditory-motor integration did not influence production variability in children, and compensation and adaptation effects were found to be strong and sustainable. Significant group differences were absent in the proportions of speakers displaying a compensatory or adaptive response, an amplifying response, or no consistent response. Within these categories, children produced significantly stronger compensatory, adaptive, or amplifying responses, which could be explained by less-ingrained existing representations. The results are interpreted as both auditory-motor integration and learning capacities are stronger in young children compared to adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frits van Brenk
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, 122 Cary Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14214, USA
| | - Hayo Terband
- Utrecht Institute of Linguistics-OTS, Utrecht University, Trans 10, Room 0.25, 3512 JK Utrecht, The Netherlands
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13
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Heller Murray ES, Stepp CE. Relationships between vocal pitch perception and production: a developmental perspective. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3912. [PMID: 32127585 PMCID: PMC7054315 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60756-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between vocal pitch discrimination abilities and vocal responses to auditory pitch-shifts. Twenty children (6.6-11.7 years) and twenty adults (18-28 years) completed a listening task to determine auditory discrimination abilities to vocal fundamental frequency (fo) as well as two vocalization tasks in which their perceived fo was modulated in real-time. These pitch-shifts were either unexpected, providing information on auditory feedback control, or sustained, providing information on sensorimotor adaptation. Children were subdivided into two groups based on their auditory pitch discrimination abilities; children within two standard deviations of the adult group were classified as having adult-like discrimination abilities (N = 11), whereas children outside of this range were classified as having less sensitive discrimination abilities than adults (N = 9). Children with less sensitive auditory pitch discrimination abilities had significantly larger vocal response magnitudes to unexpected pitch-shifts and significantly smaller vocal response magnitudes to sustained pitch-shifts. Children with less sensitive auditory pitch discrimination abilities may rely more on auditory feedback and thus may be less adept at updating their stored motor programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cara E Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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14
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McKenna VS, Hylkema JA, Tardif MC, Stepp CE. Voice Onset Time in Individuals With Hyperfunctional Voice Disorders: Evidence for Disordered Vocal Motor Control. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:405-420. [PMID: 32013664 PMCID: PMC7210440 DOI: 10.1044/2019_jslhr-19-00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study examined vocal hyperfunction (VH) using voice onset time (VOT). We hypothesized that speakers with VH would produce shorter VOTs, indicating increased laryngeal tension, and more variable VOTs, indicating disordered vocal motor control. Method We enrolled 32 adult women with VH (aged 20-74 years) and 32 age- and sex-matched controls. All were speakers of American English. Participants produced vowel-consonant-vowel combinations that varied by vowel (ɑ/u) and plosive (p/b, t/d, k/g). VOT-measured at the release of the plosive to the initiation of voicing-was averaged over three repetitions of each vowel-consonant-vowel combination. The coefficient of variation (CoV), a measure of VOT variability, was also computed for each combination. Results The mean VOTs were not significantly different between the two groups; however, the CoVs were significantly greater in speakers with VH compared to controls. Voiceless CoV values were moderately correlated with clinical ratings of dysphonia (r = .58) in speakers with VH. Conclusion Speakers with VH exhibited greater variability in phonemic voicing targets compared to vocally healthy speakers, supporting the hypothesis for disordered vocal motor control in VH. We suggest future work incorporate VOT measures when assessing auditory discrimination and auditory-motor integration deficits in VH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S. McKenna
- Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | | | - Monique C. Tardif
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Cara E. Stepp
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, MA
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15
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Kearney E, Nieto-Castañón A, Weerathunge HR, Falsini R, Daliri A, Abur D, Ballard KJ, Chang SE, Chao SC, Heller Murray ES, Scott TL, Guenther FH. A Simple 3-Parameter Model for Examining Adaptation in Speech and Voice Production. Front Psychol 2020; 10:2995. [PMID: 32038381 PMCID: PMC6985569 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor adaptation experiments are commonly used to examine motor learning behavior and to uncover information about the underlying control mechanisms of many motor behaviors, including speech production. In the speech and voice domains, aspects of the acoustic signal are shifted/perturbed over time via auditory feedback manipulations. In response, speakers alter their production in the opposite direction of the shift so that their perceived production is closer to what they intended. This process relies on a combination of feedback and feedforward control mechanisms that are difficult to disentangle. The current study describes and tests a simple 3-parameter mathematical model that quantifies the relative contribution of feedback and feedforward control mechanisms to sensorimotor adaptation. The model is a simplified version of the DIVA model, an adaptive neural network model of speech motor control. The three fitting parameters of SimpleDIVA are associated with the three key subsystems involved in speech motor control, namely auditory feedback control, somatosensory feedback control, and feedforward control. The model is tested through computer simulations that identify optimal model fits to six existing sensorimotor adaptation datasets. We show its utility in (1) interpreting the results of adaptation experiments involving the first and second formant frequencies as well as fundamental frequency; (2) assessing the effects of masking noise in adaptation paradigms; (3) fitting more than one perturbation dimension simultaneously; (4) examining sensorimotor adaptation at different timepoints in the production signal; and (5) quantitatively predicting responses in one experiment using parameters derived from another experiment. The model simulations produce excellent fits to real data across different types of perturbations and experimental paradigms (mean correlation between data and model fits across all six studies = 0.95 ± 0.02). The model parameters provide a mechanistic explanation for the behavioral responses to the adaptation paradigm that are not readily available from the behavioral responses alone. Overall, SimpleDIVA offers new insights into speech and voice motor control and has the potential to inform future directions of speech rehabilitation research in disordered populations. Simulation software, including an easy-to-use graphical user interface, is publicly available to facilitate the use of the model in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Kearney
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alfonso Nieto-Castañón
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Riccardo Falsini
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ayoub Daliri
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Defne Abur
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kirrie J. Ballard
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Cognitive Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Sara-Ching Chao
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | | | - Terri L. Scott
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Frank H. Guenther
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
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16
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van den Bunt MR, Groen MA, van der Kleij SW, Noordenbos MW, Segers E, Pugh KR, Verhoeven L. Deficient Response to Altered Auditory Feedback in Dyslexia. Dev Neuropsychol 2018; 43:622-641. [PMID: 30001162 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1495723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Although dyslexia is characterized by a deficit in phonological representations, the nature of this deficit is debated. Previously, it was shown that adults with dyslexia respond differently to online manipulations of auditory feedback. In the present study, we found that individual differences in reading and reading-related skills within a group of 30 children (10-13 years old) with dyslexia were associated with the response to altered feedback. The fractional anisotropy of the arcuate fasciculus/superior longitudinal fasciculus was not directly related to the response to altered feedback. This study corroborates that speech perception-production communication is important for phonological representations and reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R van den Bunt
- a Behavioural Science Institute , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - M A Groen
- a Behavioural Science Institute , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - S W van der Kleij
- a Behavioural Science Institute , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - M W Noordenbos
- b Centre for Language Studies , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - E Segers
- a Behavioural Science Institute , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - K R Pugh
- c Haskins Laboratories , Yale University , New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - L Verhoeven
- a Behavioural Science Institute , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
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17
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Daliri A, Wieland EA, Cai S, Guenther FH, Chang SE. Auditory-motor adaptation is reduced in adults who stutter but not in children who stutter. Dev Sci 2018; 21:10.1111/desc.12521. [PMID: 28256029 PMCID: PMC5581739 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that adults who stutter produce smaller corrective motor responses to compensate for unexpected auditory perturbations in comparison to adults who do not stutter, suggesting that stuttering may be associated with deficits in integration of auditory feedback for online speech monitoring. In this study, we examined whether stuttering is also associated with deficiencies in integrating and using discrepancies between expected and received auditory feedback to adaptively update motor programs for accurate speech production. Using a sensorimotor adaptation paradigm, we measured adaptive speech responses to auditory formant frequency perturbations in adults and children who stutter and their matched nonstuttering controls. We found that the magnitude of the speech adaptive response for children who stutter did not differ from that of fluent children. However, the adaptation magnitude of adults who stutter in response to auditory perturbation was significantly smaller than the adaptation magnitude of adults who do not stutter. Together these results indicate that stuttering is associated with deficits in integrating discrepancies between predicted and received auditory feedback to calibrate the speech production system in adults but not children. This auditory-motor integration deficit thus appears to be a compensatory effect that develops over years of stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayoub Daliri
- Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | | | | | | | - Soo-Eun Chang
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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