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Moya-Galé G, Kim Y, Fabiano L. Raising Awareness About Language- and Culture-Specific Considerations in the Management of Dysarthria Associated With Parkinson's Disease Within the United States. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:2813-2821. [PMID: 37902554 PMCID: PMC11427421 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to raise awareness about the importance of diverting from English-centric approaches in the management of dysarthria associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in the United States, and embracing a language- and culture-specific perspective when working with linguistically and culturally diverse populations within the context of culturally responsive, precision medicine. METHOD This tutorial is divided into two primary components: a critical review of language universal and language-specific characteristics of dysarthria associated with PD and their relationship with speech intelligibility, and a practical guide to culturally responsive evidence-based practice for speech-language pathologists. CONCLUSIONS We offer a framework for linguistically and culturally appropriate considerations when working with clients with dysarthria associated with PD. While "universal" representations of dysarthria may be part of the big picture, language-specific contributions to speakers' intelligibility should be carefully examined to maximize treatment outcomes. Additionally, an evidence-based model that fully embraces clients' wishes and values within the context of culturally responsive, precision medicine should be prioritized, a practice that may include the use of interpreters.
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Thompson A, Kim Y. Acoustic and Kinematic Predictors of Intelligibility and Articulatory Precision in Parkinson's Disease. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024:1-17. [PMID: 39259883 DOI: 10.1044/2024_jslhr-24-00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study investigated relationships within and between perceptual, acoustic, and kinematic measures in speakers with and without dysarthria due to Parkinson's disease (PD) across different clarity conditions. Additionally, the study assessed the predictive capabilities of selected acoustic and kinematic measures for intelligibility and articulatory precision ratings. METHOD Forty participants, comprising 22 with PD and 18 controls, read three phrases aloud using conversational, less clear, and more clear speaking conditions. Acoustic measures and their theoretical kinematic parallel measures (i.e., acoustic and kinematic distance and vowel space area [VSA]; second formant frequency [F2] slope and kinematic speed) were obtained from the diphthong /aɪ/ and selected vowels in the sentences. A total of 368 listeners from crowdsourcing provided ratings for intelligibility and articulatory precision. The research questions were examined using correlations and linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS Intelligibility and articulatory precision ratings were highly correlated across all speakers. Acoustic and kinematic distance, as well as F2 slope and kinematic speed, showed moderately positive correlations. In contrast, acoustic and kinematic VSA exhibited no correlation. Among all measures, acoustic VSA and kinematic distance were robust predictors of both intelligibility and articulatory precision ratings, but they were stronger predictors of articulatory precision. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the importance of measurement selection when examining cross-domain relationships. Additionally, they support the use of behavioral modifications aimed at eliciting larger articulatory gestures to improve intelligibility in individuals with dysarthria due to PD. OPEN SCIENCE FORM https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27011281.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Thompson
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Houston, TX
| | - Yunjung Kim
- School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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Sonkaya ZZ, Özturk B, Sonkaya R, Taskiran E, Karadas Ö. Using Objective Speech Analysis Techniques for the Clinical Diagnosis and Assessment of Speech Disorders in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Brain Sci 2024; 14:384. [PMID: 38672033 PMCID: PMC11047916 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the chronic and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). It generally affects motor, sensory, cerebellar, cognitive, and language functions. It is thought that identifying MS speech disorders using quantitative methods will make a significant contribution to physicians in the diagnosis and follow-up of MS patients. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the speech disorders of MS via objective speech analysis techniques. The study was conducted on 20 patients diagnosed with MS according to McDonald's 2017 criteria and 20 healthy volunteers without any speech or voice pathology. Speech data obtained from patients and healthy individuals were analyzed with the PRAAT speech analysis program, and classification algorithms were tested to determine the most effective classifier in separating specific speech features of MS disease. As a result of the study, the K-nearest neighbor algorithm (K-NN) was found to be the most successful classifier (95%) in distinguishing pathological sounds which were seen in MS patients from those in healthy individuals. The findings obtained in our study can be considered as preliminary data to determine the voice characteristics of MS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Z. Sonkaya
- Department of Experimental Linguistics, Ankara University, 06590 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Bilgin Özturk
- Department of Neurology, Gülhane Medicine Faculty, Health Science University, 06010 Ankara, Turkey; (B.Ö.); (R.S.); (Ö.K.)
| | - Rıza Sonkaya
- Department of Neurology, Gülhane Medicine Faculty, Health Science University, 06010 Ankara, Turkey; (B.Ö.); (R.S.); (Ö.K.)
| | - Esra Taskiran
- Department of Neurology, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, 07100 Antalya, Turkey;
| | - Ömer Karadas
- Department of Neurology, Gülhane Medicine Faculty, Health Science University, 06010 Ankara, Turkey; (B.Ö.); (R.S.); (Ö.K.)
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Portalete CR, Moraes DADO, Pagliarin KC, Keske-Soares M, Cielo CA. Acoustic and Physiological Voice Assessment And Maximum Phonation Time In Patients With Different Types Of Dysarthria. J Voice 2024; 38:540.e1-540.e11. [PMID: 34895782 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the maximum phonation time of /a/, acoustic glottal source parameters, and physiological measures in patients with dysarthria. METHOD Thirteen patients were classified according to dysarthria type and divided into functional profiles (hypofunctional, hyperfunctional, and mixed). Assessments of maximum phonation time of /a/, glottal source parameters, electroglottography, and nasometry were performed. Results were compared between groups using ANOVA and Tukey posthoc tests. RESULTS The highest fundamental frequency differed significantly between groups, with the hyperfunctional profile showing higher values than the other participant groups. Reductions in the maximum phonation time of /a/ and alterations in acoustic glottal source parameters and electroglottography measures were observed in all groups, with no significant differences between them. The remaining measures did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION The maximum phonation times for /a/ were reduced in all participant groups, suggesting air escape during phonation. The presence of alterations in several glottal source parameters in all participant groups is indicative of noise, tremor, and vocal instability. Lastly, the high fundamental frequency in patients with a hyperfunctional profile reinforces the presence of vocal instability. These findings suggest that, although the characteristics observed in the assessments were consistent with expectations of patients with dysarthria, it is difficult to perform a differential diagnosis of this condition based on acoustic and physiological parameters alone.
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Moya-Galé G, Wisler AA, Walsh SJ, McAuliffe MJ, Levy ES. Acoustic Predictors of Ease of Understanding in Spanish Speakers With Dysarthria Associated With Parkinson's Disease. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:2999-3012. [PMID: 36508721 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine selected baseline acoustic features of hypokinetic dysarthria in Spanish speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD) and identify potential acoustic predictors of ease of understanding in Spanish. METHOD Seventeen Spanish-speaking individuals with mild-to-moderate hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to PD and eight healthy controls were recorded reading a translation of the Rainbow Passage. Acoustic measures of vowel space area, as indicated by the formant centralization ratio (FCR), envelope modulation spectra (EMS), and articulation rate were derived from the speech samples. Additionally, 15 healthy adults rated ease of understanding of the recordings on a visual analogue scale. A multiple linear regression model was implemented to investigate the predictive value of the selected acoustic parameters on ease of understanding. RESULTS Listeners' ease of understanding was significantly lower for speakers with dysarthria than for healthy controls. The FCR, EMS from the first 10 s of the reading passage, and the difference in EMS between the end and the beginning sections of the passage differed significantly between the two groups of speakers. Findings indicated that 67.7% of the variability in ease of understanding was explained by the predictive model, suggesting a moderately strong relationship between the acoustic and perceptual domains. CONCLUSIONS Measures of envelope modulation spectra were found to be highly significant model predictors of ease of understanding of Spanish-speaking individuals with hypokinetic dysarthria associated with PD. Articulation rate was also found to be important (albeit to a lesser degree) in the predictive model. The formant centralization ratio should be further examined with a larger sample size and more severe dysarthria to determine its efficacy in predicting ease of understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Erika S Levy
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
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Illner V, Tykalova T, Skrabal D, Klempir J, Rusz J. Automated Vowel Articulation Analysis in Connected Speech Among Progressive Neurological Diseases, Dysarthria Types, and Dysarthria Severities. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023:1-22. [PMID: 37499137 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-22-00526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although articulatory impairment represents distinct speech characteristics in most neurological diseases affecting movement, methods allowing automated assessments of articulation deficits from the connected speech are scarce. This study aimed to design a fully automated method for analyzing dysarthria-related vowel articulation impairment and estimate its sensitivity in a broad range of neurological diseases and various types and severities of dysarthria. METHOD Unconstrained monologue and reading passages were acquired from 459 speakers, including 306 healthy controls and 153 neurological patients. The algorithm utilized a formant tracker in combination with a phoneme recognizer and subsequent signal processing analysis. RESULTS Articulatory undershoot of vowels was presented in a broad spectrum of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple-system atrophy, Huntington's disease, essential tremor, cerebellar ataxia, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as in related dysarthria subtypes including hypokinetic, hyperkinetic, ataxic, spastic, flaccid, and their mixed variants. Formant ratios showed a higher sensitivity to vowel deficits than vowel space area. First formants of corner vowels were significantly lower for multiple-system atrophy than cerebellar ataxia. Second formants of vowels /a/ and /i/ were lower in ataxic compared to spastic dysarthria. Discriminant analysis showed a classification score of up to 41.0% for disease type, 39.3% for dysarthria type, and 49.2% for dysarthria severity. Algorithm accuracy reached an F-score of 0.77. CONCLUSIONS Distinctive vowel articulation alterations reflect underlying pathophysiology in neurological diseases. Objective acoustic analysis of vowel articulation has the potential to provide a universal method to screen motor speech disorders. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23681529.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vojtech Illner
- Department of Circuit Theory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Tykalova
- Department of Circuit Theory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Skrabal
- Department of Neurology and Centre of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Klempir
- Department of Neurology and Centre of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Rusz
- Department of Circuit Theory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Neurology and Centre of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Neurology and ARTORG Center, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
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Guo K, Xiao Y, Deng W, Zhao G, Zhang J, Liang Y, Yang L, Liao G. Speech disorders in patients with Tongue squamous cell carcinoma: A longitudinal observational study based on a questionnaire and acoustic analysis. BMC Oral Health 2023; 23:192. [PMID: 37005608 PMCID: PMC10068158 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-023-02888-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Speech disorders are common dysfunctions in patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) that can diminish their quality of life. There are few studies with multidimensional and longitudinal assessments of speech function in TSCC patients. METHODS This longitudinal observational study was conducted at the Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, China, from January 2018 to March 2021. A cohort of 92 patients (53 males, age range: 24-77 years) diagnosed with TSCC participated in this study. Speech function was assessed from preoperatively to one year postoperatively using the Speech Handicap Index questionnaire and acoustic parameters. The risk factors for postoperative speech disorder were analyzed by a linear mixed-effects model. A t test or Mann‒Whitney U test was applied to analyze the differences in acoustic parameters under the influence of risk factors to determine the pathophysiological mechanisms of speech disorders in patients with TSCC. RESULTS The incidence of preoperative speech disorders was 58.7%, which increased up to 91.4% after surgery. Higher T stage (P<0.001) and larger range of tongue resection (P = 0.002) were risk factors for postoperative speech disorders. Among the acoustic parameters, F2/i/decreased remarkably with higher T stage (P = 0.021) and larger range of tongue resection (P = 0.009), indicating restricted tongue movement in the anterior-posterior direction. The acoustic parameters analysis during the follow-up period showed that F1 and F2 were not significantly different of the patients with subtotal or total glossectomy over time. CONCLUSIONS Speech disorders in TSCC patients is common and persistent. Less residual tongue volume led to worse speech-related QoL, indicating that surgically restoring the length of the tongue and strengthening tongue extension postoperatively may be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixin Guo
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yudong Xiao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Wei Deng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Guiyi Zhao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yujie Liang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Le Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
| | - Guiqing Liao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, 56th Lingyuanxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, No.74, 2nd Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
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Favaro A, Moro-Velázquez L, Butala A, Motley C, Cao T, Stevens RD, Villalba J, Dehak N. Multilingual evaluation of interpretable biomarkers to represent language and speech patterns in Parkinson's disease. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1142642. [PMID: 36937510 PMCID: PMC10017962 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1142642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor impairments are only one aspect of Parkinson's disease (PD), which also include cognitive and linguistic impairments. Speech-derived interpretable biomarkers may help clinicians diagnose PD at earlier stages and monitor the disorder's evolution over time. This study focuses on the multilingual evaluation of a composite array of biomarkers that facilitate PD evaluation from speech. Hypokinetic dysarthria, a motor speech disorder associated with PD, has been extensively analyzed in previously published studies on automatic PD evaluation, with a relative lack of inquiry into language and task variability. In this study, we explore certain acoustic, linguistic, and cognitive information encoded within the speech of several cohorts with PD. A total of 24 biomarkers were analyzed from American English, Italian, Castilian Spanish, Colombian Spanish, German, and Czech by conducting a statistical analysis to evaluate which biomarkers best differentiate people with PD from healthy participants. The study leverages conceptual robustness as a criterion in which a biomarker behaves the same, independent of the language. Hence, we propose a set of speech-based biomarkers that can effectively help evaluate PD while being language-independent. In short, the best acoustic and cognitive biomarkers permitting discrimination between experimental groups across languages were fundamental frequency standard deviation, pause time, pause percentage, silence duration, and speech rhythm standard deviation. Linguistic biomarkers representing the length of the narratives and the number of nouns and auxiliaries also provided discrimination between groups. Altogether, in addition to being significant, these biomarkers satisfied the robustness requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Favaro
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Anna Favaro
| | - Laureano Moro-Velázquez
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ankur Butala
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Chelsie Motley
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Tianyu Cao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Robert David Stevens
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jesús Villalba
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Najim Dehak
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Cordella C, Gutz SE, Eshghi M, Stipancic KL, Schliep M, Dickerson BC, Green JR. Acoustic and Kinematic Assessment of Motor Speech Impairment in Patients With Suspected Four-Repeat Tauopathies. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:4112-4132. [PMID: 36306508 PMCID: PMC9940887 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to use acoustic and kinematic speech measures to characterize type of motor speech impairment-apraxia of speech (AOS) versus dysarthria-in individuals with four-repeat tauopathy (4RT)-associated syndromes, including nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA), primary progressive AOS (PPAOS), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and progressive supranuclear palsy syndrome (PSPs). METHOD Twenty patient participants were recruited and stratified into two groups: (a) a motor-speech-impaired group of individuals with nfvPPA, PPAOS, CBS, or PSPs and suspected 4RT pathology ("MSI+") and (b) a non-motor-speech-impaired group of individuals with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia ("MSI-"). Ten healthy, age-matched controls also participated in the study. Participants completed a battery of speech tasks, and 15 acoustic and kinematic speech measures were derived. Quantitative speech measures were grouped into feature categories ("AOS features," "dysarthria features," "shared features"). In addition to quantitative speech measures, two certified speech-language pathologists made independent, blinded auditory-perceptual ratings of motor speech impairment. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to investigate the relative contributions of quantitative features. RESULTS Quantitative speech measures were generally concordant with independent clinician ratings of motor speech impairment severity. Hypothesis-driven groupings of quantitative measures differentiated predominantly apraxic from predominantly dysarthric presentations within the MSI+ group. PCA results provided additional evidence for differential profiles of motor speech impairment in the MSI+ group; heterogeneity across individuals is explained in large part by varying levels of overall severity-captured by the shared feature variable group-and degree of apraxia severity, as measured by the AOS feature variable group. CONCLUSIONS Quantitative features reveal heterogeneity of MSI in the 4RT group in terms of both overall severity and subtype of MSI. Results suggest the potential for acoustic and kinematic speech assessment methods to inform characterization of motor speech impairment in 4RT-associated syndromes. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21401778.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Cordella
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Boston University, MA
| | - Sarah E. Gutz
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Marziye Eshghi
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
| | - Kaila L. Stipancic
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY
| | - Megan Schliep
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
| | | | - Jordan R. Green
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA
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Borrie SA, Wynn CJ, Berisha V, Barrett TS. From Speech Acoustics to Communicative Participation in Dysarthria: Toward a Causal Framework. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:405-418. [PMID: 34958608 PMCID: PMC9132139 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We proposed and tested a causal instantiation of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework, linking acoustics, intelligibility, and communicative participation in the context of dysarthria. METHOD Speech samples and communicative participation scores were collected from individuals with dysarthria (n = 32). Speech was analyzed for two acoustic metrics (i.e., articulatory precision and speech rate), and an objective measure of intelligibility was generated from listener transcripts. Mediation analysis was used to evaluate pathways of effect between acoustics, intelligibility, and communicative participation. RESULTS We observed a strong relationship between articulatory precision and intelligibility and a moderate relationship between intelligibility and communicative participation. Collectively, data supported a significant relationship between articulatory precision and communicative participation, which was almost entirely mediated through intelligibility. These relationships were not significant when speech rate was specified as the acoustic variable of interest. CONCLUSION The statistical corroboration of our causal instantiation of the ICF framework with articulatory acoustics affords important support toward the development of a comprehensive causal framework to understand and, ultimately, address restricted communicative participation in dysarthria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Borrie
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education, Utah State University, Logan
| | - Camille J. Wynn
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education, Utah State University, Logan
| | - Visar Berisha
- School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix
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Knowles T, Adams SG, Jog M. Speech Rate Mediated Vowel and Stop Voicing Distinctiveness in Parkinson's Disease. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:4096-4123. [PMID: 34582276 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to quantify changes in acoustic distinctiveness in two groups of talkers with Parkinson's disease as they modify across a wide range of speaking rates. Method People with Parkinson's disease with and without deep brain stimulation and older healthy controls read 24 carrier phrases at different speech rates. Target nonsense words in the carrier phrases were designed to elicit stop consonants and corner vowels. Participants spoke at seven self-selected speech rates from very slow to very fast, elicited via magnitude production. Speech rate was measured in absolute words per minute and as a proportion of each talker's habitual rate. Measures of segmental distinctiveness included a temporal consonant measure, namely, voice onset time, and a spectral vowel measure, namely, vowel articulation index. Results All talkers successfully modified their rate of speech from slow to fast. Talkers with Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulation demonstrated greater baseline speech impairment and produced smaller proportional changes at the fast end of the continuum. Increasingly slower speaking rates were associated with increased temporal contrasts (voice onset time) but not spectral contrasts (vowel articulation). Faster speech was associated with decreased contrasts in both domains. Talkers with deep brain stimulation demonstrated more aberrant productions across all speaking rates. Conclusions Findings suggest that temporal and spectral segmental distinctiveness are asymmetrically affected by speaking rate modifications in Parkinson's disease. Talkers with deep brain stimulation warrant further investigation with regard to speech changes they make as they adjust their speaking rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea Knowles
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY
| | - Scott G Adams
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mandar Jog
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada
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Ge S, Wan Q, Yin M, Wang Y, Huang Z. Quantitative acoustic metrics of vowel production in mandarin-speakers with post-stroke spastic dysarthria. CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 2021; 35:779-792. [PMID: 32985269 DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2020.1827295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Impairment of vowel production in dysarthria has been highly valued. This study aimed to explore the vowel production of Mandarin-speakers with post-stroke spastic dysarthria in connected speech and to explore the influence of gender and tone on the vowel production. Multiple vowel acoustic metrics, including F1 range, F2 range, vowel space area (VSA), vowel articulation index (VAI) and formant centralization ratio (FCR), were analyzed from vowel tokens embedded in connected speech produced. The participants included 25 clients with spastic dysarthria secondary to stroke (15 males, 10 females) and 25 speakers with no history of neurological disease (15 males, 10 females). Variance analyses were conducted and the results showed that the main effects of population, gender, and tone on F2 range, VSA, VAI, and FCR were all significant. Vowel production became centralized in the clients with post-stroke spastic dysarthria. Vowel production was found to be more centralized in males compared to females. Vowels in neutral tone (T0) were the most centralized among the other tones. The quantitative acoustic metrics of F2 range, VSA, VAI, and FCR were effective in predicting vowel production in Mandarin-speaking clients with post-stroke spastic dysarthria, and hence may be used as powerful tools to assess the speech performance for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Ge
- Department of Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Wan
- Department of Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minmin Yin
- Department of Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongli Wang
- Department of Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaoming Huang
- Department of Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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van Brenk F, Kain A, Tjaden K. Investigating Acoustic Correlates of Intelligibility Gains and Losses During Slowed Speech: A Hybridization Approach. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2021; 30:1343-1360. [PMID: 34048663 PMCID: PMC8702861 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This exploratory study sought to identify acoustic variables explaining rate-related variation in intelligibility for speakers with dysarthria secondary to multiple sclerosis. Method Seven speakers with dysarthria due to multiple sclerosis produced the same set of Harvard sentences at habitual and slow rates. Speakers were selected from a larger corpus on the basis of rate-related intelligibility characteristics. Four speakers demonstrated improved intelligibility and three speakers demonstrated reduced intelligibility when rate was slowed. A speech analysis resynthesis paradigm termed hybridization was used to create stimuli in which segmental (i.e., short-term spectral) and suprasegmental variables (i.e., sentence-level fundamental frequency, energy characteristics, and duration) of sentences produced at the slow rate were donated individually or in combination to habitually produced sentences. Online crowdsourced orthographic transcription was used to quantify intelligibility for six hybridized sentence types and the original habitual and slow productions. Results Sentence duration alone was not a contributing factor to improved intelligibility associated with slowed rate. Speakers whose intelligibility improved with slowed rate showed higher intelligibility scores for duration spectrum hybrids and energy hybrids compared to the original habitual rate sentences, suggesting these acoustic cues contributed to improved intelligibility for sentences produced with a slowed rate. Energy contour characteristics were also found to play a role in intelligibility losses for speakers with decreased intelligibility at slowed rate. The relative contribution of speech acoustic variables to intelligibility gains and losses varied considerably between speakers. Conclusions Hybridization can be used to identify acoustic correlates of intelligibility variation associated with slowed rate. This approach has further elucidated speaker-specific and individualized speech production adjustments when slowing rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frits van Brenk
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY
| | - Alexander Kain
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
| | - Kris Tjaden
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY
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Pommée T, Balaguer M, Pinquier J, Mauclair J, Woisard V, Speyer R. Relationship between phoneme-level spectral acoustics and speech intelligibility in healthy speech: a systematic review. SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND HEARING 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/2050571x.2021.1913300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Pommée
- Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse, CNRS, Université de Toulouse – Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Mathieu Balaguer
- Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse, CNRS, Université de Toulouse – Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Larrey, Toulouse, France
| | - Julien Pinquier
- Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse, CNRS, Université de Toulouse – Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Julie Mauclair
- Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse, CNRS, Université de Toulouse – Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Virginie Woisard
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Larrey, Toulouse, France
- Oncopole, Toulouse, France
- Unité de Recherche Interdisciplinaire Octogone Lordat, Maison de la Recherche, Université de Toulouse – Jean-Jaurès, Toulouse, France
| | - Renée Speyer
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Advances in Parkinson's Disease detection and assessment using voice and speech: A review of the articulatory and phonatory aspects. Biomed Signal Process Control 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2021.102418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Carl M, Icht M. Acoustic vowel analysis and speech intelligibility in young adult Hebrew speakers: Developmental dysarthria versus typical development. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 56:283-298. [PMID: 33522087 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developmental dysarthria is a motor speech impairment commonly characterized by varying levels of reduced speech intelligibility. The relationship between intelligibility deficits and acoustic vowel space among these individuals has long been noted in the literature, with evidence of vowel centralization (e.g., in English and Mandarin). However, the degree to which this centralization occurs and the intelligibility-acoustic relationship is maintained in different vowel systems has yet to be studied thoroughly. In comparison with American English, the Hebrew vowel system is significantly smaller, with a potentially smaller vowel space area, a factor that may impact upon the comparisons of the acoustic vowel space and its correlation with speech intelligibility. Data on vowel space and speech intelligibility are particularly limited for Hebrew speakers with motor speech disorders. AIMS To determine the nature and degree of vowel space centralization in Hebrew-speaking adolescents and young adults with dysarthria, in comparison with typically developing (TD) peers, and to correlate these findings with speech intelligibility scores. METHODS & PROCEDURES Adolescents and young adults with developmental dysarthria (secondary to cerebral palsy (CP) and other motor deficits, n = 17) and their TD peers (n = 17) were recorded producing Hebrew corner vowels within single words. For intelligibility assessments, naïve listeners transcribed those words produced by speakers with CP, and intelligibility scores were calculated. OUTCOMES & RESULTS Acoustic analysis of vowel formants (F1, F2) revealed a centralization of vowel space among speakers with CP for all acoustic metrics of vowel formants, and mainly for the formant centralization ratio (FCR), in comparison with TD peers. Intelligibility scores were correlated strongly with the FCR metric for speakers with CP. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS The main results, vowel space centralization for speakers with CP in comparison with TD peers, echo previous cross-linguistic results. The correlation of acoustic results with speech intelligibility carries clinical implications. Taken together, the results contribute to better characterization of the speech production deficit in Hebrew speakers with motor speech disorders. Furthermore, they may guide clinical decision-making and intervention planning to improve speech intelligibility. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject Speech production and intelligibility deficits among individuals with developmental dysarthria (e.g., secondary to CP) are well documented. These deficits have also been correlated with centralization of the acoustic vowel space, although primarily in English speakers. Little is known about the acoustic characteristics of vowels in Hebrew speakers with motor speech disorders, and whether correlations with speech intelligibility are maintained. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study is the first to describe the acoustic characteristics of vowel space in Hebrew-speaking adolescents and young adults with developmental dysarthria. The results demonstrate a centralization of the acoustic vowel space in comparison with TD peers for all measures, as found in other languages. Correlation between acoustic measures and speech intelligibility scores were also documented. We discuss these results within the context of cross-linguistic comparisons. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The results confirm the use of objective acoustic measures in the assessment of individuals with motor speech disorders, providing such data for Hebrew-speaking adolescents and young adults. These measures can be used to determine the nature and severity of the speech deficit across languages, may guide intervention planning, as well as measure the effectiveness of intelligibility-based treatment programmes.
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Eijk L, Fletcher A, McAuliffe M, Janse E. The Effects of Word Frequency and Word Probability on Speech Rhythm in Dysarthria. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:2833-2845. [PMID: 32783579 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-19-00389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose In healthy speakers, the more frequent and probable a word is in its context, the shorter the word tends to be. This study investigated whether these probabilistic effects were similarly sized for speakers with dysarthria of different severities. Method Fifty-six speakers of New Zealand English (42 speakers with dysarthria and 14 healthy speakers) were recorded reading the Grandfather Passage. Measurements of word duration, frequency, and transitional word probability were taken. Results As hypothesized, words with a higher frequency and probability tended to be shorter in duration. There was also a significant interaction between word frequency and speech severity. This indicated that the more severe the dysarthria, the smaller the effects of word frequency on speakers' word durations. Transitional word probability also interacted with speech severity, but did not account for significant unique variance in the full model. Conclusions These results suggest that, as the severity of dysarthria increases, the duration of words is less affected by probabilistic variables. These findings may be due to reductions in the control and execution of muscle movement exhibited by speakers with dysarthria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Eijk
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Annalise Fletcher
- Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of North Texas, Denton
| | - Megan McAuliffe
- School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain, and Behaviour, University of Canterbury
| | - Esther Janse
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Nightingale C, Swartz M, Ramig LO, McAllister T. Using Crowdsourced Listeners' Ratings to Measure Speech Changes in Hypokinetic Dysarthria: A Proof-of-Concept Study. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2020; 29:873-882. [PMID: 32331503 PMCID: PMC7842862 DOI: 10.1044/2019_ajslp-19-00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Interventions for speech disorders aim to produce changes that are not only acoustically measurable or perceptible to trained professionals but are also apparent to naive listeners. Due to challenges associated with obtaining ratings from suitably large listener samples, however, few studies currently evaluate speech interventions by this criterion. Online crowdsourcing technologies could enhance the measurement of intervention effects by making it easier to obtain real-world listeners' ratings. Method Stimuli, drawn from a published study by Sapir et al. ("Effects of intensive voice treatment (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment [LSVT]) on vowel articulation in dysarthric individuals with idiopathic Parkinson disease: Acoustic and perceptual findings" in Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 50(4), 2007), were words produced by individuals who received intensive treatment (LSVT LOUD) for hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson's disease. Thirty-six online naive listeners heard randomly ordered pairs of words elicited pre- and posttreatment and reported which they perceived as "more clearly articulated." Results Mixed-effects logistic regression indicated that words elicited posttreatment were significantly more likely to be rated "more clear." Across individuals, acoustically measured magnitude of change was significantly correlated with pre-post difference in listener ratings. Conclusions These results partly replicate the findings of Sapir et al. (2007) and demonstrate that their acoustically measured changes are detectable by everyday listeners. This supports the viability of using crowdsourcing to obtain more functionally relevant measures of change in clinical speech samples. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12170112.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lorraine Olson Ramig
- University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO
- The National Center for Voice and Speech, Denver, CO
- Columbia University, New York, NY
- LSVT Global, Inc., Tucson, AZ
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Lee J, Fischer JC. Single Word–Based Acoustic Vowel Space in Individuals With Dysarthria Secondary to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1044/2019_pers-sig19-2019-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Lee
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Julie C. Fischer
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
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Whitfield JA, Mehta DD. Examination of Clear Speech in Parkinson Disease Using Measures of Working Vowel Space. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2019; 62:2082-2098. [PMID: 31306606 DOI: 10.1044/2019_jslhr-s-msc18-18-0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of the current study was to characterize clear speech production for speakers with and without Parkinson disease (PD) using several measures of working vowel space computed from frequently sampled formant trajectories. Method The 1st 2 formant frequencies were tracked for a reading passage that was produced using habitual and clear speaking styles by 15 speakers with PD and 15 healthy control speakers. Vowel space metrics were calculated from the distribution of frequently sampled formant frequency tracks, including vowel space hull area, articulatory-acoustic vowel space, and multiple vowel space density (VSD) measures based on different percentile contours of the formant density distribution. Results Both speaker groups exhibited significant increases in the articulatory-acoustic vowel space and VSD10, the area of the outermost (10th percentile) contour of the formant density distribution, from habitual to clear styles. These clarity-related vowel space increases were significantly smaller for speakers with PD than controls. Both groups also exhibited a significant increase in vowel space hull area; however, this metric was not sensitive to differences in the clear speech response between groups. Relative to healthy controls, speakers with PD exhibited a significantly smaller VSD90, the area of the most central (90th percentile), densely populated region of the formant space. Conclusions Using vowel space metrics calculated from formant traces of the reading passage, the current work suggests that speakers with PD do indeed reach the more peripheral regions of the vowel space during connected speech but spend a larger percentage of the time in more central regions of formant space than healthy speakers. Additionally, working vowel space metrics based on the distribution of formant data suggested that speakers with PD exhibited less of a clarity-related increase in formant space than controls, a trend that was not observed for perimeter-based measures of vowel space area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Whitfield
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Bowling Green State University, OH
| | - Daryush D Mehta
- Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
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Fletcher A, Risi R, Wisler A, McAuliffe M. Examining Listener Reaction Time in the Perceptual Assessment of Dysarthria. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2019; 71:297-308. [DOI: 10.1159/000499752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Kent RD, Vorperian HK. Static measurements of vowel formant frequencies and bandwidths: A review. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2018; 74:74-97. [PMID: 29891085 PMCID: PMC6002811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Data on vowel formants have been derived primarily from static measures representing an assumed steady state. This review summarizes data on formant frequencies and bandwidths for American English and also addresses (a) sources of variability (focusing on speech sample and time sampling point), and (b) methods of data reduction such as vowel area and dispersion. METHOD Searches were conducted with CINAHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, and other online sources including legacy articles and references. The primary search items were vowels, vowel space area, vowel dispersion, formants, formant frequency, and formant bandwidth. RESULTS Data on formant frequencies and bandwidths are available for both sexes over the lifespan, but considerable variability in results across studies affects even features of the basic vowel quadrilateral. Origins of variability likely include differences in speech sample and time sampling point. The data reveal the emergence of sex differences by 4 years of age, maturational reductions in formant bandwidth, and decreased formant frequencies with advancing age in some persons. It appears that a combination of methods of data reduction provide for optimal data interpretation. CONCLUSION The lifespan database on vowel formants shows considerable variability within specific age-sex groups, pointing to the need for standardized procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond D Kent
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States.
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Whitfield JA, Dromey C, Palmer P. Examining Acoustic and Kinematic Measures of Articulatory Working Space: Effects of Speech Intensity. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2018; 61:1104-1117. [PMID: 29710247 DOI: 10.1044/2018_jslhr-s-17-0388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of speech intensity on acoustic and kinematic vowel space measures and conduct a preliminary examination of the relationship between kinematic and acoustic vowel space metrics calculated from continuously sampled lingual marker and formant traces. METHOD Young adult speakers produced 3 repetitions of 2 different sentences at 3 different loudness levels. Lingual kinematic and acoustic signals were collected and analyzed. Acoustic and kinematic variants of several vowel space metrics were calculated from the formant frequencies and the position of 2 lingual markers. Traditional metrics included triangular vowel space area and the vowel articulation index. Acoustic and kinematic variants of sentence-level metrics based on the articulatory-acoustic vowel space and the vowel space hull area were also calculated. RESULTS Both acoustic and kinematic variants of the sentence-level metrics significantly increased with an increase in loudness, whereas no statistically significant differences in traditional vowel-point metrics were observed for either the kinematic or acoustic variants across the 3 loudness conditions. In addition, moderate-to-strong relationships between the acoustic and kinematic variants of the sentence-level vowel space metrics were observed for the majority of participants. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that both kinematic and acoustic vowel space metrics that reflect the dynamic contributions of both consonant and vowel segments are sensitive to within-speaker changes in articulation associated with manipulations of speech intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Whitfield
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Bowling Green State University, OH
| | - Christopher Dromey
- Department of Communication Disorders, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
| | - Panika Palmer
- Department of Communication Disorders, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
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Fletcher AR, McAuliffe MJ, Lansford KL, Sinex DG, Liss JM. Predicting Intelligibility Gains in Individuals With Dysarthria From Baseline Speech Features. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2017; 60:3043-3057. [PMID: 29075753 PMCID: PMC6195071 DOI: 10.1044/2016_jslhr-s-16-0218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Across the treatment literature, behavioral speech modifications have produced variable intelligibility changes in speakers with dysarthria. This study is the first of two articles exploring whether measurements of baseline speech features can predict speakers' responses to these modifications. METHODS Fifty speakers (7 older individuals and 43 speakers with dysarthria) read a standard passage in habitual, loud, and slow speaking modes. Eighteen listeners rated how easy the speech samples were to understand. Baseline acoustic measurements of articulation, prosody, and voice quality were collected with perceptual measures of severity. RESULTS Cues to speak louder and reduce rate did not confer intelligibility benefits to every speaker. The degree to which cues to speak louder improved intelligibility could be predicted by speakers' baseline articulation rates and overall dysarthria severity. Improvements in the slow condition could be predicted by speakers' baseline severity and temporal variability. Speakers with a breathier voice quality tended to perform better in the loud condition than in the slow condition. CONCLUSIONS Assessments of baseline speech features can be used to predict appropriate treatment strategies for speakers with dysarthria. Further development of these assessments could provide the basis for more individualized treatment programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalise R Fletcher
- Department of Communication Disorders, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain & Behaviour, Christchurch
| | - Megan J McAuliffe
- Department of Communication Disorders, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain & Behaviour, Christchurch
| | - Kaitlin L Lansford
- School of Communication Science & Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | - Donal G Sinex
- New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain & Behaviour, Christchurch
| | - Julie M Liss
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe
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den Ouden DB, Galkina E, Basilakos A, Fridriksson J. Vowel Formant Dispersion Reflects Severity of Apraxia of Speech. APHASIOLOGY 2017; 32:902-921. [PMID: 30297975 PMCID: PMC6173518 DOI: 10.1080/02687038.2017.1385050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apraxia of Speech (AOS) has been associated with deviations in consonantal voice-onset-time (VOT), but studies of vowel acoustics have yielded conflicting results. However, a speech motor planning disorder that is not bound by phonological categories is expected to affect vowel as well as consonant articulations. AIMS We measured consonant VOTs and vowel formants produced by a large sample of stroke survivors, and assessed to what extent these variables and their dispersion are predictive of AOS presence and severity, based on a scale that uses clinical observations to rate gradient presence of AOS, aphasia, and dysarthria. METHODS & PROCEDURES Picture-description samples were collected from 53 stroke survivors, including unimpaired speakers (12) and speakers with primarily aphasia (19), aphasia with AOS (12), primarily AOS (2), aphasia with dysarthria (2), and aphasia with AOS and dysarthria (6). The first three formants were extracted from vowel tokens bearing main stress in open-class words, as well as VOTs for voiced and voiceless stops. Vowel space was estimated as reflected in the formant centralization ratio. Stepwise Linear Discriminant Analyses were used to predict group membership, and ordinal regression to predict AOS severity, based on the absolute values of these variables, as well as the standard deviations of formants and VOTs within speakers. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Presence and severity of AOS were most consistently predicted by the dispersion of F1, F2, and voiced-stop VOT. These phonetic-acoustic measures do not correlate with aphasia severity. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm that the AOS affects articulation across-the-board and does not selectively spare vowel production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk-Bart den Ouden
- Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
| | - Elena Galkina
- Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
| | - Alexandra Basilakos
- Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
| | - Julius Fridriksson
- Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
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Effects of Aging on Vocal Fundamental Frequency and Vowel Formants in Men and Women. J Voice 2017; 32:644.e1-644.e9. [PMID: 28864082 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study reports data on vocal fundamental frequency (fo) and the first four formant frequencies (F1, F2, F3, F4) for four vowels produced by speakers in three adult age cohorts, in a test of the null hypothesis that there are no age-related changes in these variables. Participants were 43 men and 53 women between the ages of 20 and 92 years. RESULTS The most consistent age-related effect was a decrease in fo for women. Significant differences in F1, F2, and F3 were vowel-specific for both sexes. No significant differences were observed for the highest formant F4. CONCLUSIONS Women experience a significant decrease in fo, which is likely related to menopause. Formant frequencies of the corner vowels change little across several decades of adult life, either because physiological aging has small effects on these variables or because individuals compensate for age-related changes in anatomy and physiology.
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