The physiological development of speech production has remained largely unexplored in spite of Us importance to understanding developmental speech disorders and to models of normal speech motor control. In theoretical models and clinical applications, speech coordination, like other complex motor behaviors, has been assumed to be derived from rhythmic, homeostatic, centrally patterned functions such as respiration, chewing, and sucking. This assumption has not been tested, and despite its intuitive appeal, might be doubted because of demonstrated differences between centrally patterned behaviors and speech production in adults (Moore, Smith, & Ringel, 1988). An empirical evaluation of this assumption has implications both for models of normal speech motor control and for the rationale underlying diagnosis and treatment of children with developmental speech disorders. The proposed Investigation of normally developing children contrasts the coordination of centrally patterned oral and respiratory behaviors with speech coordination. This contrast will provide a quantitative description of speech development in the context of well-understood motor behaviors. Physiological development of speech motor control in primary speech subsystems in young children (9-48 months of age) will be described using a cross-sectional (70 children) and longitudinal (20 children) design. Coordination of systems for respiratory drive, mandibular movement, phonation, and articulation will be quantified during speech and during automatic, rhythmic, non-speech behaviors such as chewing and resting breathing. Electromyographic (EMG), acoustic, and kinematic signals will be analyzed. Articulatory coordination and laryngeal control will be inferred from formant (F1 and F2) trajectories and fundamental frequency (f-o) contours. Relative timing of muscle activity will be quantified using correlational analysis of E G signals. Signal coherence arising from paired speech muscles will be computed in order to detect activity arising from a common neural source. Non-zero coherence within paired EMG signals has been shown to be an observable characteristic of rhythmic motor behaviors, including mastication and respiration, both of which are mediated by central pattern generators (CPGs) in many species. Developmental changes in the temporal and spectral characteristics of EMG signals will delineate the role of automatic, non-speech coordinative organization in speech maturation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC000822-09
Application #
6124973
Study Section
Sensory Disorders and Language Study Section (CMS)
Program Officer
Shekim, Lana O
Project Start
1991-05-01
Project End
2001-05-31
Budget Start
1999-12-01
Budget End
2001-05-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$236,007
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
135646524
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
Vick, Jennell C; Campbell, Thomas F; Shriberg, Lawrence D et al. (2014) Data-driven subclassification of speech sound disorders in preschool children. J Speech Lang Hear Res 57:2033-50
Connaghan, Kathryn P; Moore, Christopher A (2013) Indirect estimates of jaw muscle tension in children with suspected hypertonia, children with suspected hypotonia, and matched controls. J Speech Lang Hear Res 56:123-36
Vick, Jennell C; Campbell, Thomas F; Shriberg, Lawrence D et al. (2012) Distinct developmental profiles in typical speech acquisition. J Neurophysiol 107:2885-900
Shriberg, Lawrence D; Lohmeier, Heather L; Strand, Edythe A et al. (2012) Encoding, memory, and transcoding deficits in Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Clin Linguist Phon 26:445-82
Steeve, Roger W (2012) Effects of changing jaw height on F1 during babble: a case study at 9 months. Clin Linguist Phon 26:311-29
Che, Wei-Chun; Wang, Yu-Tsai; Lu, Hsiu-Jung et al. (2011) Respiratory changes during reading in Mandarin-speaking adolescents with prelingual hearing impairment. Folia Phoniatr Logop 63:275-80
Wang, Yu-Tsai; Green, Jordan R; Nip, Ignatius S B et al. (2010) Breath group analysis for reading and spontaneous speech in healthy adults. Folia Phoniatr Logop 62:297-302
Steeve, Roger W; Price, Christiana M (2010) Investigating the use of coherence analysis on mandibular electromyograms to investigate neural control of early oromandibular behaviours: A pilot study. Clin Linguist Phon 24:485-501
Steeve, Roger W (2010) Babbling and Chewing: Jaw Kinematics from 8 to 22 months. J Phon 38:445-458
Reilly, Kevin J; Moore, Christopher A (2009) Respiratory movement patterns during vocalizations at 7 and 11 months of age. J Speech Lang Hear Res 52:223-39

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