Orofacial Movements Associated With Fluent Speech in Persons Who Stutter

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. McClean ◽  
Stephen M. Tasko ◽  
Charles M. Runyan
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Movement Speed ◽  
Speed Ratio ◽  
Electromagnetic System ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Lower Lip ◽  
Fluent Speech ◽  
Speed Increase ◽  
Speech Disfluency ◽  
Opening And Closing

This study was intended to replicate and extend previous findings that (a) during fluent speech persons who stutter (PS) and those who do not (NS) differ in their vocal tract closing movements (L. Max, A. J. Caruso, & V. L. Gracco, 2003) and (b) ratios relating lip and tongue speed to jaw speed increase with stuttering severity (M. D. McClean & C. R. Runyan, 2000). An electromagnetic system was used to record movements of the upper lip, lower lip, tongue, and jaw of 43 NS and 37 PS during productions of a nonsense phrase and a sentence. Measurement and analysis of movement speeds, durations, and ratios of lip and tongue speed to jaw speed were performed on fluent productions of a nonsense phrase and sentence. Statistical comparisons were made between PS with low and high stuttering severity levels (LPS and HPS) and NS. Significant variations across groups in movement speed and duration were observed, but the pattern of these effects was complex and did not replicate the results of the two earlier studies. In the nonsense phrase, significant reductions in lower lip closing duration, jaw closing duration, and jaw closing speed were seen in PS. In the sentence task, HPS showed elevated tongue opening and closing durations. For tongue opening in the sentence, LPS showed elevated speeds and HPS showed reduced speeds. The elevated speeds for LPS are interpreted as a contributing factor to speech disfluency, whereas the reduced speeds and increased durations in HPS are attributed to adaptive behavior intended to facilitate fluent speech. Significant group effects were not seen for the speed ratio measures. Results are discussed in relation to multivariate analyses intended to identify subgroups of PS.

Association of Orofacial Muscle Activity and Movement During Changes in Speech Rate and Intensity

2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1387-1400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. McClean ◽  
Stephen M. Tasko
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Neural Control ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Movement Speed ◽  
Rate Variation ◽  
Midsagittal Plane ◽  
Electromagnetic System ◽  
Lower Lip ◽  
Neural Input ◽  
Movement Distance

Understanding how orofacial muscle activity and movement covary across changes in speech rate and intensity has implications for the neural control of speech production and the use of clinical procedures that manipulate speech prosody. The present study involved a correlation analysis relating average lower-lip and jaw-muscle activity to lip and jaw movement distance, speed, and duration. Recordings were obtained on orofacial movement, muscle activity, and the acoustic signal in 3 normal speakers as they repeated a simple test utterance with targeted speech rates varying from 60% to 160% of their habitual rate and at targeted vocal intensities of –6 dB and +6 dB relative to their habitual intensity. Surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings were obtained with electrodes positioned to sample primarily the mentalis, depressor labii inferior, anterior belly of the digastric, and masseter muscles. Two-dimensional displacements of the lower lip and jaw in the midsagittal plane were recorded with an electromagnetic system. All participants produced linear changes in percent utterance duration relative to the auditory targets for speech rate variation. Intensity variations ranged from –10 dB to +8 dB. Average EMG levels for all 4 muscles were well correlated with specific parameters of movement. Across the intensity conditions, EMG level was positively correlated with movement speed and distance in all participants. Across the rate conditions, EMG level was negatively correlated with movement duration in all participants, while greater interparticipant variability was noted for correlations relating EMG to speed and distance. For intensity control, it is suggested that converging neural input to orofacial motoneurons varies monotonically with movement distance and speed. In contrast, rate control appears to be more strongly related to the temporal characteristics of neural input than activation level.

Variations in the Relative Speeds of Orofacial Structures With Stuttering Severity

2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 1524-1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. McClean ◽  
Charles M. Runyan
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Normal Rate ◽  
Speed Ratio ◽  
Continuous Measure ◽  
Electromagnetic System ◽  
Lower Lip ◽  
Correlation Analyses ◽  
Fluent Speakers

Stuttering can be characterized in part as a disorder in the coordination of different muscle systems. In light of basic aspects of orofacial physiology and development, the speeds of the lips and tongue relative to the jaw may be an important dimension for evaluating motor coordination among persons who stutter (PWS). To test this idea, an electromagnetic system was used to obtain measures of lip, tongue, and jaw speed in 38 adults (29 PWS and 9 normally fluent speakers, NFS) as they repeated a simple speech utterance at a normal rate. Using categorical ratings of stuttering severity, ratios of tongue speed to jaw speed were significantly greater in PWS rated as severe, compared to NFS and other PWS. Significant increases in lower lip-to-jaw and tongue-to-jaw speed ratios with stuttering severity were also reflected in correlation analyses relating speed ratios to a continuous measure of stuttering severity. These trends in speed ratio were related to increases in lower lip and tongue speed and decreases in jaw speed with stuttering severity. Sources of the speed differences are discussed in relation to underlying muscle activity, motor compensation processes in adults, and the development of orofacial motor control in children who stutter.

Experimental Study of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Wind Speed Self-Adapting

2012 ◽  
Vol 215-216 ◽  
pp. 1323-1326
Author(s):  
Ming Wei Xu ◽  
Jian Jun Qu ◽  
Han Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Velocity ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Maximum Power ◽  
The Self ◽  
Power Coefficient ◽  
Speed Ratio ◽  
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ◽  
Opening And Closing

A small vertical axis wind turbine with wind speed self-adapting was designed. The diameter and height of the turbine were both 0.7m. It featured that the blades were composed of movable and fixed blades, and the opening and closing of the movable blades realized the wind speed self-adapting. Aerodynamic performance of this new kind turbine was tested in a simple wind tunnel. Then the self-starting and power coefficient of the turbine were studied. The turbine with load could reliably self-start and operate stably even when the wind velocity was only 3.6 m/s. When the wind velocity was 8 m/s and the load torque was 0.1Nm, the movable blades no longer opened and the wind turbine realized the conversion from drag mode to lift mode. With the increase of wind speed, the maximum power coefficient of the turbine also improves gradually. Under 8 m/s wind speed, the maximum power coefficient of the turbine reaches to 12.26%. The experimental results showed that the new turbine not only improved the self-starting ability of the lift-style turbine, but also had a higher power coefficient in low tip speed ratio.

scholarly journals The physiology of oral whistling: a combined radiographic and MRI analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alba Azola ◽  
Jeffrey Palmer ◽  
Rachel Mulheren ◽  
Riccardo Hofer ◽  
Florian Fischmeister ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Resonant Cavity ◽  
Helmholtz Resonator ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Air Jet ◽  
Tongue Position ◽  
Buccal Space ◽  
Opening And Closing

The fluid mechanics of whistling involve the instability of an air jet, resultant vortex rings, and the interaction of these rings with rigid boundaries (see http://www.canal-u.tv/video/cerimes/etude_radiocinematographique_d_un_siffleur_turc_de_kuskoy.13056 and Meyer J. Whistled Languages. Berlin, Germany: Springer, 2015, p. 74–774). Experimental models support the hypothesis that the sound in human whistling is generated by a Helmholtz resonator, suggesting that the oral cavity acts as a resonant chamber bounded by two orifices, posteriorly by raising the tongue to the hard palate, and anteriorly by pursed lips (Henrywood RH, Agarwal A. Phys Fluids 25: 107101, 2013). However, the detailed anatomical changes in the vocal tract and their relation to the frequencies generated have not been described in the literature. In this study, videofluoroscopic and simultaneous audio recordings were made of subjects whistling with the bilabial (i.e., “puckered lip”) technique. One whistling subject was also recorded, using magnetic resonance imaging. As predicted by theory, the frequency of sound generated decreased as the size of the resonant cavity increased; this relationship was preserved throughout various whistling tasks and was consistent across subjects. Changes in the size of the resonant cavity were primarily modulated by tongue position rather than jaw opening and closing. Additionally, when high-frequency notes were produced, lateral chambers formed in the buccal space. These results provide the first dynamic anatomical evidence concerning the acoustic production of human whistling. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We establish a new and much firmer quantitative and physiological footing to current theoretical models on human whistling. We also document a novel lateral airflow mechanism used by both of our participants to produce high-frequency notes.

Kinematic Analysis of Lower Lip Movements in Ataxic Dysarthria

1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1252-1259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermann Ackermann ◽  
Ingo Hertrich ◽  
Gabriele Scharf
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Peak Velocity ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Speech Motor Control ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Lower Lip ◽  
Organizational Principle ◽  
Acoustic Speech Signal ◽  
Opening And Closing ◽  
Speech Motor

The present study investigates the influence of cerebellar disorders on articulatory performance. A linear trend between peak velocity and movement amplitude seems to represent a basic organizational principle both of upper limb and speech motor control. This relationship is preserved in arm movements of patients with cerebellar dysfunction. However, these subjects show a decreased slope of the respective regression lines under the instruction to perform movements as fast as possible. In order to find out whether these findings also hold for speech motor control, peak velocity, range, and duration both of the opening and closing gestures during production of /pap/- as well as /pa:p/-sequences—embedded into a carrier phrase each—were measured using an optoelectric system. In addition, vowel length (/a/, /a:/) was determined at the acoustic speech signal: (a) The cerebellar patients showed a prolongation of both vowel targets. Most of them, nevertheless, presented with discernible durational contrasts; (b) The articulatory gestures were characterized by a highly linear relationship between peak velocity and movement range in the cerebellar as well as in the control group; (c) As a rule, the cerebellar subjects had decreased velocity-displacement ratios as compared to the normals; (d) The discrepancy in slope of the computed regression lines between the controls and the patients varied according to the type of movement (opening vs. closing gesture) and—to a lesser degree—linguistic demands (short vs. long vowel). These data indicate an impaired ability of cerebellar patients to increase muscular forces in order to produce adequately scaled articulatory gestures of short duration.

scholarly journals Effects of Robot Viscous Forces on Arm Movements in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Randomized Crossover Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazan Abdel Majeed ◽  
Saria Awadalla ◽  
James Patton
Keyword(s):  
Test Methods ◽  
Chronic Stroke ◽  
Movement Speed ◽  
Institutional Review Boards ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Practice Trial ◽  
Speed Increase ◽  
Viscous Forces ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Negative Viscosity

Abstract Background Our previous work showed that speed is linked to the ability to recover in chronic stroke survivors. Patients moving faster on the first day of a three-week study had greater improvements on the Wolf Motor Function Test. Methods We examined the effects of three candidate speed-modifying fields in a crossover design: negative viscosity, positive viscosity, and a "breakthrough" force that vanishes after speed exceeds an individualized threshold. Results Negative viscosity resulted in a significant speed increase when it was on. No lasting after effects on movement speed were observed from any of these treatments, however, training with negative viscosity led to significant improvements in movement accuracy and smoothness. Conclusions Our results suggest that negative viscosity could be used as a treatment to augment the training process while still allowing patients to make their own volitional motions in practice. Trial registration This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at Northwestern University (STU00206579) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (2018-1251).

scholarly journals Effects of Robot Viscous Forces on Arm Movements in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Randomized Crossover Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazan Abdel Majeed ◽  
Saria Awadalla ◽  
James Patton
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Stroke ◽  
Movement Speed ◽  
Institutional Review Boards ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Speed Increase ◽  
After Effects ◽  
Viscous Forces ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Wolf Motor Function Test ◽  
Negative Viscosity

Abstract Background: Our previous work showed that speed is linked to the ability to recover in chronic stroke survivors. Participants moving faster on the first day of a three-week study had greater improvements on the Wolf Motor Function Test.Methods: We examined the effects of three candidate speed-modifying fields in a crossover design: negative viscosity, positive viscosity, and a "breakthrough" force that vanishes after speed exceeds an individualized threshold.Results: Negative viscosity resulted in a significant speed increase when it was on. No lasting after effects on movement speed were observed from any of these treatments, however, training with negative viscosity led to significant improvements in movement accuracy and smoothness.Conclusions: Our results suggest that negative viscosity could be used as a treatment to augment the training process while still allowing participants to make their own volitional motions in practice.Trial registration: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at Northwestern University (STU00206579) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (2018-1251).

Duration of Sound Prolongation and Sound/Syllable Repetition in Children Who Stutter

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia M. Zebrowski
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Significance ◽  
Average Duration ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Fluent Speech ◽  
Syllable Repetition ◽  
Speech Disfluency ◽  
Post Onset

The purpose of this study was to measure the duration of sound prolongations and sound/syllable repetitions (stutterings) in the conversational speech of school-age children who stutter. The relationships between duration and (a) frequency and type of speech disfluency, (b) number and rate of repeated units per instance of sound/syllable repetition, (c) overall speech rate, and (d) articulatory rate were also examined. Results indicated that for the children in this study the average duration of stuttering was approximately three-quarters of a second, and was not significantly correlated with age, length of post-onset interval, or frequency of speech disfluency. In addition, findings can be taken to suggest that part of the clinical significance of stuttering duration for children who stutter might lie in its relationship to the amount of sound prolongations these children produce, as well as their articulatory rate during fluent speech.

Articulatory Abnormalities in Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

1978 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Kent ◽  
Ronald Netsell
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Tongue Movement ◽  
Lower Lip ◽  
Jaw Movement ◽  
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Articulatory Movements ◽  
Velopharyngeal Closure ◽  
Transition Times

This report presents cinefluorographic data on the articulation of isolated vowels, VCV nonsense utterances, and short sentences by five subjects with athetoid cerebral palsy. Articulatory abnormalities were identified from tracings of vocal tract shapes and from displacement-by-time plots of articulatory events. The most frequent abnormalities were large ranges of jaw movement, inappropriate positioning of the tongue for various phonetic segments (especially because of a reduced range of tongue movement in the anteroposterior dimension), intermittency of velopharyngeal closure caused by an instability of velar elevation, prolonged transition times for articulatory movements, and retrusion of the lower lip. The speech disorder associated with athetosis is considered with respect to a model of motor learning.

The morphology of the British Prostriata, with particular reference to Ixodes hexagonus Leach. III

Parasitology ◽  
1956 ◽  
Vol 46 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 261-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don R. Arthur
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Intermediate Layer ◽  
Lower Lip ◽  
Generic Rank ◽  
Haller's Organ ◽  
Innermost Layer ◽  
Sensory Hairs ◽  
The Status ◽  
Opening And Closing ◽  
Lateral Walls

1. The spiracular plate is made up of three layers, (a) the outermost non-porose plate, which varies in thickness, being thicker where the (b) intermediate layer of pedicels fuses towards the outside, and thinner over the goblets. The innermost layer (c) is of even thickness, and corrugated.2. The ostium is bounded by the columella dorsally and by the lower lip ven-trally, both of which are continuous with the thickened antero-ventrally placed macula.3. The ostium opens into a subostial space which in turn passes into the atrium. The ventral and ventro-lateral walls are thrown into two folds about midway along, and then anteriorly and posteriorly merge to form a single lobe. The musculature associated with the atrium is described.4. On morphological grounds it appears that the ostium is incapable of opening and closing, and it is suggested that only opening muscles—the dorsal and ventral atrial muscles—are present.5. The distribution of the main tracheal trunks is described.6. Hailer's organ in the female of I. hexagonus consists of a trough and a capsule; the former bears six hairs divisible into types I–IV and the latter contains seven tapering sensillae. This pattern is applicable to both the male and the nymph: in the larva one type III sensilla is missing from the trough and only 4 sensory hairs are present in the capsule.7. A description of Haller's organ in the British Ixodes species is given, and it is shown to be of systematic value.8. The status of species possessing ‘trough-nosed’ capsules is discussed, and the validity of giving such species generic rank does not appear to be justified. As far as the material investigated is concerned there seems little difference in the sexes, with the exception of I. muris and I. loricatus, nor has any correlation been established between the structure of the organ and host specificity.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document