This proposal describes studies of the control of human orofacial movement that focus on the jaw. The goal is to understand the ways in which neural signals interact with orofacial biomechanics to determine movement outcomes in speech. All of the proposed research is related by the common aim of understanding the relationship between neural and biomechanical determinants of movements. The studies extend from the jaw's biomechanical properties and their relation to speech variability to the degree to which control signals compensate for the dynamics of the mechanical apparatus. A common procedure is adopted throughout - the use of a servo-controlled robotic manipulator to deliver precise mechanical perturbations to the jaw. The research will (1) document the jaw's biomechanical properties and in particular the relationship between jaw stiffness in statics and kinematic variability during vowel production. (2) The work will characterize jaw stiffness during movement and assess the dependence of stiffness on movement speed, evaluate stiffness in speech versus mastication, and determine the relationship between stiffness over the course of movement and time-varying patterns of kinematic variability. (3) The studies will also assess the complexity of the information that the nervous system encodes concerning the biomechanical periphery and external loads in orofacial motion planning.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC004669-05
Application #
7035782
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-6 (02))
Program Officer
Shekim, Lana O
Project Start
2002-04-01
Project End
2007-03-31
Budget Start
2006-04-01
Budget End
2007-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$274,454
Indirect Cost
Name
Haskins Laboratories, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
060010147
City
New Haven
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06511
Ito, Takayuki; Ostry, David J (2012) Speech sounds alter facial skin sensation. J Neurophysiol 107:442-7
Lametti, Daniel R; Nasir, Sazzad M; Ostry, David J (2012) Sensory preference in speech production revealed by simultaneous alteration of auditory and somatosensory feedback. J Neurosci 32:9351-8
Rochet-Capellan, Amélie; Richer, Lara; Ostry, David J (2012) Nonhomogeneous transfer reveals specificity in speech motor learning. J Neurophysiol 107:1711-7
Rochet-Capellan, Amelie; Ostry, David J (2011) Simultaneous acquisition of multiple auditory-motor transformations in speech. J Neurosci 31:2657-62
Ito, Takayuki; Ostry, David J (2010) Somatosensory contribution to motor learning due to facial skin deformation. J Neurophysiol 104:1230-8
Nasir, Sazzad M; Ostry, David J (2009) Auditory plasticity and speech motor learning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:20470-5
Laboissiere, Rafael; Lametti, Daniel R; Ostry, David J (2009) Impedance control and its relation to precision in orofacial movement. J Neurophysiol 102:523-31
Ito, Takayuki; Tiede, Mark; Ostry, David J (2009) Somatosensory function in speech perception. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:1245-8
Nasir, Sazzad M; Ostry, David J (2008) Speech motor learning in profoundly deaf adults. Nat Neurosci 11:1217-22
Tremblay, Stephanie; Houle, Guillaume; Ostry, David J (2008) Specificity of speech motor learning. J Neurosci 28:2426-34

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