The Influence of Speaking Rate on Vowel Space and Speech Intelligibility for Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 1001-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg S. Turner ◽  
Kris Tjaden ◽  
Gary Weismer
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Global Estimates ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Neurologically Intact ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

The relationship between speaking rate, vowel space area, and speech intelligibility was studied in a group of 9 subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 9 age- and gender-matched controls. Subjects read a standard passage (the Farm Passage) at three speaking rates, including HABITUAL, FAST, and SLOW. Vowel segment durations and target formant frequencies were measured at each speaking rate from select words containing the vowels /i/, /æ/, /a/, and /u/. To quantify changes in vowel space area across speaking rate, the area of the vowel quadrilateral was calculated for each speaker at each speaking rate. In addition, intelligibility estimates at each speaking rate were obtained for the dysarthric speakers. Results revealed that dysarthric speakers exhibited smaller vowel space areas and less systematic changes in vowel space as a function of speaking rate, when compared to the neurologically intact speakers. In an examination of the relationship between vowel space area and speech intelligibility, vowel space was found to account for 45% of the variance in speech intelligibility. This result suggests that vowel space area is an important component of global estimates of speech intelligibility.

Characteristics of Speaking Rate in the Dysarthria Associated With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1134-1144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg S. Turner ◽  
Gary Weismer
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Pause Duration ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Articulation Rate ◽  
Perceptual Judgments ◽  
Proportional Increase ◽  
Dysarthric Speech ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Neurologically Intact ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

The ability to alter speaking rate was studied in a group of 9 subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 9 age- and gender-matched, neurologically intact controls. Subjects were instructed to speak at three different rates (i.e., habitual, twice as fast as habitual, and one-half as fast as habitual). Speaking rate, articulation rate, and pause duration and frequency were calculated. The proportional increase in speaking rate was similar between the groups; however, the dysarthric speakers slowed rate to a smaller extent. Articulation rate and pause duration and frequency covaried with speaking rate in a similar manner for both groups. There was evidence that dysarthric speakers showed a greater dependence on pause duration and frequency, as compared to articulation rate, especially when increasing rate. In addition, although it was found that the slope of the function relating phrase duration to phrase length in syllables was statistically significant for both normal and dysarthric speakers, the slope of the function was significantly more shallow for the dysarthric speakers. Perceptual judgments of speaking rate indicated that dysarthric speakers spoke faster for a given physical speaking rate. Finally, results suggested that the function relating physical to perceived speaking rate grew more rapidly for dysarthric as compared to normal speakers. Discussion focuses on the importance of these findings to rate manipulation therapies and models of speaking rate in dysarthric speech.

scholarly journals Changes in the concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Chen ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
Mingming Zhao ◽  
Lemin Zheng ◽  
Dongsheng Fan
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Metabolic Pathway ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Als Patients ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract To compare the plasma concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, their spouses and healthy controls and to find associations between gut microbiota metabolites and ALS. ALS patients were recruited at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. Information was collected from their spouses at the same time. Age and gender matched healthy controls were recruited from individuals who visited the physical examination center for health checkups. Blood samples were collected after at least 4 h of fasting. Concentrations of the metabolites were quantified using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Group differences were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests, as appropriate. In this study, 160 patients with ALS were recruited. In these patients, 63 were compared with their spouses, 148 were compared with age and gender matched controls, and 60 were compared with both their spouses and heathy controls in the same time. The carnitine concentration was significantly higher in patients than in their spouses, while there were no significant differences in the concentrations of other metabolites. The carnitine and betaine concentrations were higher, while the choline, TMAO and butyrobetaine concentrations were lower in ALS than in healthy controls. The concentrations of the metabolites in the spouses were more similar to the ALS patients rather than to the healthy controls. In the ALS group, the plasma concentrations of carnitine, betaine, choline and TMAO were inversely related to the severity of upper motor neuron impairment. The TMAO metabolic pathway of the gut microbiota is disturbed in both ALS patients and their spouses, which might suggest that the changes in the gut microbiota occurred before disease onset. The negative correlations between the involvement of UMNs and the concentrations of the metabolites might suggest that the inhibition of this metabolic pathway might lead to a better prognosis in ALS patients.

Acoustic Differences Between Content and Function Words in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 769-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg S. Turner ◽  
Kris Tjaden
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Function Words ◽  
Temporal Properties ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
The Difference ◽  
And Function ◽  
Impaired Speech ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Studies describing acoustic characteristics of speech produced by individuals with dysarthria may help to explain intelligibility deficits for these speakers. One goal of the current study was to investigate the manner and extent to which nine speakers with mild to moderate dysarthria associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and nine healthy speakers acoustically distinguished /i/, / æ/, /u/, and /α/ in content and function words. A further aim was to evaluate the relationship between impaired speech in ALS and the magnitude of acoustic differences for vowels in content and function words. Speakers read the Farm Passage at a comfortable or habitual rate. F1 and F2 midpoint frequencies were measured, and vowel space areas were calculated. Vowel durations also were measured. The magnitude of F1, F2, vowel space area, and duration differences for vowels in content and function words was not statistically different for speakers with ALS and healthy controls. In addition, with the exception of /i/ produced by some speakers with ALS, vowel duration tended to be shorter in function words. Average F1 and F2 values for function words also tended to be centralized relative to content words. Although vowel space area differences for the two speaker groups were not statistically significant, there was a tendency for the difference in vowel space area for content and function words to be smaller for speakers with ALS than for controls. Regression analyses further indicated that the magnitude of temporal differences for vowels in content and function words was a better predictor of impaired speech than the magnitude of spectral differences for vowels in content and function words. One clinical implication is that individuals with ALS may benefit from therapy techniques targeting temporal properties of the acoustic signal.

scholarly journals Predicting Early Bulbar Decline in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Speech Subsystem Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panying Rong ◽  
Yana Yunusova ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Jordan R. Green
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Linear Mixed Effects ◽  
Data Mining Approach ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Bulbar Dysfunction ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose. To develop a predictive model of speech loss in persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) based on measures of respiratory, phonatory, articulatory, and resonatory functions that were selected using a data-mining approach.Method. Physiologic speech subsystem (respiratory, phonatory, articulatory, and resonatory) functions were evaluated longitudinally in 66 individuals with ALS using multiple instrumentation approaches including acoustic, aerodynamic, nasometeric, and kinematic. The instrumental measures of the subsystem functions were subjected to a principal component analysis and linear mixed effects models to derive a set of comprehensive predictors of bulbar dysfunction. These subsystem predictors were subjected to a Kaplan-Meier analysis to estimate the time until speech loss.Results. For a majority of participants, speech subsystem decline was detectible prior to declines in speech intelligibility and speaking rate. Among all subsystems, the articulatory and phonatory predictors were most responsive to early bulbar deterioration; and the resonatory and respiratory predictors were as responsive to bulbar decline as was speaking rate.Conclusions. The articulatory and phonatory predictors are sensitive indicators of early bulbar decline due to ALS, which has implications for predicting disease onset and progression and clinical management of ALS.

Articulatory Kinematic Characteristics Across the Dysarthria Severity Spectrum in Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 258-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimin Lee ◽  
Michael Bell ◽  
Zachary Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Tongue Movement ◽  
Jaw Movement ◽  
Movement Trajectories ◽  
Electromagnetic Articulography ◽  
Kinematic Characteristics ◽  
Temporal Measures ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose The current study investigated whether articulatory kinematic patterns can be extrapolated across the spectrum of dysarthria severity in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Method Temporal and spatial articulatory kinematic data were collected using electromagnetic articulography from 14 individuals with dysarthria secondary to ALS and 6 typically aging speakers. Speech intelligibility and speaking rate were used as indices of severity. Results Temporal measures (duration, speed of articulators) were significantly correlated with both indices of severity. In speakers with dysarthria, spatial measures were not correlated with severity except in 3 measures: tongue movement displacement was more reduced in the anterior–posterior dimension; jaw movement distance was greater in the inferior–superior dimension; jaw convex hull area was larger in speakers with slower speaking rates. Visual inspection of movement trajectories revealed that overall spatial kinematic characteristics in speakers with severe dysarthria differed qualitatively from those in speakers with mild or moderate dysarthria. Unlike speakers with dysarthria, typically aging speakers displayed variable tongue movement and minimal jaw movement. Conclusions The current study revealed that spatial articulatory characteristics, unlike temporal characteristics, showed a complicated pattern across the severity spectrum. The findings suggest that articulatory characteristics in speakers with severe dysarthria cannot simply be extrapolated from those in speakers with mild-to-moderate dysarthria secondary to ALS.

scholarly journals Shorter Sentence Length Maximizes Intelligibility and Speech Motor Performance in Persons With Dysarthria Due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen M. Allison ◽  
Yana Yunusova ◽  
Jordan R. Green
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Pause Duration ◽  
Sentence Length ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Event Duration ◽  
Severity Levels ◽  
Speech Motor ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sentence length on intelligibility and measures of speech motor performance in persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to determine how these effects were influenced by dysarthria severity levels. Method One hundred thirty-one persons with ALS were included in this study, stratified into 4 dysarthria severity groups. All participants produced sentences from 5 to 15 words in length. Intelligibility, speaking rate, and measures of speech pausing behavior (i.e., total speech duration, total pause duration, and mean speech event duration) were measured for each sentence. Linear mixed-effects models were used to determine the effect of sentence length on speech measures for speakers at different dysarthria severity levels. Results Results showed that speech intelligibility significantly declined at longer sentence lengths only for the speakers with ALS who had more advanced dysarthria symptoms; however, speakers with mild-to-severe dysarthria showed significant declines in speaking rate and speech pausing behavior at longer sentence lengths. Conclusions Findings suggest that producing shorter sentences may help maximize intelligibility for speakers with moderate-to-severe dysarthria secondary to ALS and may be a beneficial compensatory strategy for preserving motor effort for all speakers with dysarthria secondary to ALS.

The Relationship of Selected Perceptual Measures of Diadochokinesis to Speech Intelligibility in Dysarthric Speakers With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin A. Samlan ◽  
Gary Weismer
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Clinical Significance ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Current Experiment ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

The current experiment explored the relationship of two perceptual measures of diadochokinetic (DDK) performance to speech intelligibility in 15 men with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The perceptual measures of DDK performance took the form of scalings of articulatory precision and rhythmic consistency. Regression analyses indicated that both measures were statistically significant in their ability to predict scaled speech intelligibility, although the efficiency of that prediction was somewhat better for articulatory precision than for rhythmic consistency. Regressions involving articulatory precision and rhythmic consistency were also found to be statistically significant. These results are discussed in terms of the clinical significance of DDK measures, especially their potential independence (or lack thereof) from general estimates of speech severity.

Automated Acoustic Analysis of Oral Diadochokinesis to Assess Bulbar Motor Involvement in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panying Rong
Keyword(s):  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Disease Stage ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Tongue Movement ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Syllable Repetition ◽  
Oral Diadochokinesis ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose The purpose of this article was to validate a novel acoustic analysis of oral diadochokinesis (DDK) in assessing bulbar motor involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Method An automated acoustic DDK analysis was developed, which filtered out the voice features and extracted the envelope of the acoustic waveform reflecting the temporal pattern of syllable repetitions during an oral DDK task (i.e., repetitions of /tɑ/ at the maximum rate on 1 breath). Cycle-to-cycle temporal variability (cTV) of envelope fluctuations and syllable repetition rate (sylRate) were derived from the envelope and validated against 2 kinematic measures, which are tongue movement jitter (movJitter) and alternating tongue movement rate (AMR) during the DDK task, in 16 individuals with bulbar ALS and 18 healthy controls. After the validation, cTV, sylRate, movJitter, and AMR, along with an established clinical speech measure, that is, speaking rate (SR), were compared in their ability to (a) differentiate individuals with ALS from healthy controls and (b) detect early-stage bulbar declines in ALS. Results cTV and sylRate were significantly correlated with movJitter and AMR, respectively, across individuals with ALS and healthy controls, confirming the validity of the acoustic DDK analysis in extracting the temporal DDK pattern. Among all the acoustic and kinematic DDK measures, cTV showed the highest diagnostic accuracy (i.e., 0.87) with 80% sensitivity and 94% specificity in differentiating individuals with ALS from healthy controls, which outperformed the SR measure. Moreover, cTV showed a large increase during the early disease stage, which preceded the decline of SR. Conclusions This study provided preliminary validation of a novel automated acoustic DDK analysis in extracting a useful measure, namely, cTV, for early detection of bulbar ALS. This analysis overcame a major barrier in the existing acoustic DDK analysis, which is continuous voicing between syllables that interferes with syllable structures. This approach has potential clinical applications as a novel bulbar assessment.

scholarly journals No Self Without Salience: Affective and Self-relevance Ratings of 552 Emotionally Valenced and Neutral Dutch Words

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lora I. Dimitrova ◽  
Eline M. Vissia ◽  
Hanneke Geugies ◽  
Hedwig Hofstetter ◽  
Sima Chalavi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Emotional Valence ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Emotional Salience ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractIt is unknown how self-relevance is dependent on emotional salience. Emotional salience encompasses an individual's degree of attraction or aversion to emotionally-valenced information. The current study investigated the interconnection between self and salience through the evaluation of emotional valence and self-relevance. 56 native Dutch participants completed a questionnaire assessing valence, intensity, and self-relevance of 552 Dutch nouns and verbs. One-way repeated-measures ANCOVA investigated the relationship between valence and self, age and gender. Repeated-measures ANCOVA also tested the relationship between valence and self with intensity ratings and effects of gender and age. Results showed a significant main effect of valence for self-relevant words. Intensity analyses showed a main effect of valence but not of self-relevance. There were no significant effects of gender and age. The most important finding presents that self-relevance is dependent on valence. These findings concerning the relationship between self and salience opens avenues to study an individual's self-definition.

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