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Literacy skills can assist in the navigation and enjoyment of adult life. For individuals who have reached adulthood without strong literacy skills, opportunities for continued literacy learning are few. Redesigning AAC technologies to support literacy skill development could extend literacy learning opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities who have limited speech. The current preliminary study evaluated an AAC technology feature designed to support literacy development. The study used a multiple probe across participants design. Three adults with Down syndrome who had limited speech and only basic decoding skills participated. Results suggest the participants made modest gains in decoding accuracy after interacting using the AAC app with the literacy supportive feature, though performance was highly variable. Results also offer emerging evidence that, for two participants, some generalization to encoding performance may have also been achieved. Results showed that, for all the participants, interacting using the literacy supportive feature increased their reading confidence. Altogether, the study's results show preliminary evidence that the feature can support adults with Down syndrome in their ongoing literacy learning, though access to formal instruction is still critical. Future research is needed to continue to explore this and other AAC technology redesigns to increase learning opportunities for the people who use the technology every day to communicate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The zygomatic implant perforated (ZIP) flap is a novel approach to the challenge of reconstructing the maxilla. We report on our experience using the ZIP flap technique for patients undergoing infrastructure maxillectomy at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, Australia. Methods: Thirteen patients who underwent a ZIP flap reconstruction between August 2019 and August 2021 were identified. Demographic, surgical, and histopathological information was collected. Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) was assessed using the FACE‐Q Head and Neck Cancer module, the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory, and the Speech Handicap Index. Results: A total of 44 zygomatic implants were placed, of which 42 (95%) survived. The median time from surgery to dental rehabilitation was 35 days. HRQOL data was available for nine patients over 24 months, demonstrating improved speech and swallowing outcomes over the follow up period. Conclusions: The ZIP flap is a reproducible surgical technique that facilitates rapid dental rehabilitation post infrastructure maxillectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echolalia has been described as the repetition of words, phrases, songs or other more elaborate dialogues uttered by another person, which may be immediate or delayed (International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.). Some classify echolalia as a communication impairment reflective of delay, while others consider it a restricted, repetitive pattern of behaviours, without meaningful communicative function. Little attention is given to the experiences of non-clinicians, such as parents or teachers who may hold valuable insights to further our understanding of this phenomenon. This study forms part of a larger programme of inquiry which interviewed parents (N = 133) about their experiences of their sons' and daughters' echolalia. Using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis in an abductive framework, we present a perspective of echolalia that has largely remained silent in literature: echolalia as an expression of neurodiversity. Participants push back against the status quo of intervention, reclaiming echolalia as being a part of their child's identity. Participants want their children to not only enjoy their echolalia but to fully embrace it as being a part of their individual identity. We propose alternatives to a purely clinical perspective of echolalia; alternatives that may place the neurodiversity-affirmative perspectives of our participants in a co-existing tension with clinicians. Echolalia is a commonly found speech and language condition in autistic children. Children with echolalia repeat words and phrases they previously hear in place of proving a non-repetitive response. In research and when visiting speech and language services, one of the common goals is to modify these repetitions so that these children may, more socially, engage with their surrounding environment. In our research, we identified that not all parents want their children's echolalia to be modified. Some parents want their child to be able to enjoy echolalia and others don't want anyone to intervene because they see it as something that makes their child unique and being unique is something to be celebrated. We believe that there might be a way for speech and language services who want to modify echolalia and the parents in our study who do not want their child's echolalia to be modified, to be able to exist side-by-side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The oral structures such as the tongue and lips have remarkable somatosensory capacities, but understanding the roles of somatosensation in speech production requires a more comprehensive knowledge of somatosensation in the speech production system in its entirety, including the respiratory, laryngeal, and supralaryngeal subsystems. This review was conducted to summarize the system-wide somatosensory information available for speech production. Method: The search was conducted with PubMed/Medline and Google Scholar for articles published until November 2023. Numerous search terms were used in conducting the review, which covered the topics of psychophysics, basic and clinical behavioral research, neuroanatomy, and neuroscience. Results and Conclusions: The current understanding of speech somatosensation rests primarily on the two pillars of psychophysics and neuroscience. The confluence of polymodal afferent streams supports the development, maintenance, and refinement of speech production. Receptors are both canonical and noncanonical, with the latter occurring especially in the muscles innervated by the facial nerve. Somatosensory representation in the cortex is disproportionately large and provides for sensory interactions. Speech somatosensory function is robust over the lifespan, with possible declines in advanced aging. The understanding of somatosensation in speech disorders is largely disconnected from research and theory on speech production. A speech somatoscape is proposed as the generalized, system-wide sensation of speech production, with implications for speech development, speech motor control, and speech disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel approach for automated dysarthria detection and severity assessment using a variable short-time Fourier transform layered convolutional neural networks (CNN) model. Dysarthria is a speech disorder characterized by difficulties in articulation, resulting in unclear speech. The model is evaluated on two datasets, TORGO and UA-Speech, consisting of individuals with dysarthria and healthy controls. Various variations of the CNN's first layer, including spectrogram, log spectrogram, and pre-emphasis filtering (PEF) with and without learnables, are investigated. Notably, the PEF with 5 learnables achieves the highest accuracy in detecting dysarthria and assessing its severity. The study highlights the significance of dataset size, with UA-Speech dataset showing superior performance due to its larger size, enabling better capture of dysarthria severity variations. This research contributes to the advancement of objective dysarthria assessment, aiding in early diagnosis and personalized treatment for individuals with speech disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the growing influence of the Neurodiversity movement on the literature on autism, we attempted to shed a new light on autistic echolalia in music therapy by exploring the topic from an identity-first viewpoint. We interviewed autistic adults and studied this phenomenon from their perspective. Five adults on the autism spectrum were interviewed. For the data collection phase, Reductive Phenomenology was used. The participants were asked to reflect on the need to echo as they understand it and discuss possible reasons that may lead autistic clients to echo during music therapy. They were also asked about musical aspects that echolalia may have. For the analysis of the data, the guidelines of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis were followed to extract themes and categories from the data. The interviewees pointed at two main reasons for echolalia in their opinion: (a) intra-personal reasons that mainly function to self-regulate the echoing person; and the much less frequently mentioned (b) inter-personal reasons that relate to interactions with others. They also pointed at several connections between music and echolalia, for example, the heightened awareness to the prosody of words rather than their content and the use of songs as echolalia. The information provided by the interviewees is compared to descriptions of echolalia in the literature. Enabling the participants to share their autistic experience, we believe, is an opportunity to hold back preconceived assumptions about echolalia made by non-autistic music therapists and other professionals, and to help them improve their clinical understanding of echolalia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Changes in voice and speech are characteristic symptoms of Huntington’s disease (HD). Objective methods for quantifying speech impairment that can be used across languages could facilitate assessment of disease progression and intervention strategies. The aim of this study was to analyze acoustic features to identify language-independent features that could be used to quantify speech dysfunction in English-, Spanish-, and Polish-speaking participants with HD. Method: Ninety participants with HD and 83 control participants performed sustained vowel, syllable repetition, and reading passage tasks recorded with previously validated methods using mobile devices. Language-independent features that differed between HD and controls were identified. Principal component analysis (PCA) and unsupervised clustering were applied to the language-independent features of the HD data set to identify subgroups within the HD data. Results: Forty-six language-independent acoustic features that were significantly different between control participants and participants with HD were identified. Following dimensionality reduction using PCA, four speech clusters were identified in the HD data set. Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) total motor score, total functional capacity, and composite UHDRS were significantly different for pairwise comparisons of subgroups. The percentage of HD participants with higher dysarthria score and disease stage also increased across clusters. Conclusion: The results support the application of acoustic features to objectively quantify speech impairment and disease severity in HD in multilanguage studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology innovation is urgently needed to improve outcomes for children on the autism spectrum who are minimally verbal. One potential technology innovation is applying artificial intelligence (AI) to automate strategies such as augmented input to increase language learning opportunities while mitigating communication partner time and learning barriers. Innovation in AAC research and design methodology is also needed to empirically explore this and other applications of AI to AAC. The purpose of this report was to describe (a) the development of an AAC prototype using a design methodology new to AAC research and (b) a preliminary investigation of the efficacy of this potential new AAC capability. Method: The prototype was developed using a Wizard-of-Oz prototyping approach that allows for initial exploration of a new technology capability without the time and effort required for full-scale development. The preliminary investigation with three children on the autism spectrum who were minimally verbal used an adapted alternating treatment design to compare the effects of a Wizard-of-Oz prototype that provided automated augmented input (i.e., pairing color photos with speech) to a standard topic display (i.e., a grid display with line drawings) on visual attention, linguistic participation, and (for one participant) word learning during a circle activity. Results: Preliminary investigation results were variable, but overall participants increased visual attention and linguistic participation when using the prototype. Conclusions: Wizard-of-Oz prototyping could be a valuable approach to spur much needed innovation in AAC. Further research into efficacy, reliability, validity, and attitudes is required to more comprehensively evaluate the use of AI to automate augmented input in AAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Due to the scope of practice of speech-language pathology (SLP) expanding considerably in recent times, there is reduced emphasis on certain communication conditions within the curricula of SLP university programs. Stuttering and cluttering are neglected components of such curricula, despite the complex clinical skill set required to work with these client groups. Evaluation of the content and quality of modules on stuttering and cluttering is warranted to ensure that SLP students are graduating with adequate competence and confidence for supporting people with these conditions. This tutorial, based on a review of the literature, aims to provide guidance to educators who are designing or revising such modules. Method: The All Ireland Society for Higher Education (AISHE) model for module design provides a practical and theoretically underpinned guide to educators in higher education on the design of a new module or the review of an existing one. The model’s seven key components are discussed, and their application to a module on stuttering and cluttering is outlined. Results: The AISHE model provides a systematic and user-friendly approach to module design in SLP university programs. It supports educators who are designing a new module or revising a module currently being taught on stuttering and cluttering. Conclusions: Educators are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the seven components of the AISHE model and to use it as a tool to design or revise modules on stuttering and cluttering. This will ensure that SLP students are graduating with increased competence and confidence in working with these client groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speakers with motor speech disorders (MSD) present challenges in speech production, one of them being the difficulty to adapt their speech to different modes. However, it is unclear whether different types of MSD are similarly affected when it comes to adapting their speech to various communication contexts. This study investigates the encoding of speech modes in individuals with AoS following focal brain damage and in individuals with hypokinetic dysarthria (HD) secondary to Parkinson’s disease. Participants with mild-to-moderate MSD and their age-matched controls performed a delayed production task of pseudo-words in two speech modes: normal and whispered speech. While overall accuracy did not differ significantly across speech modes, participants with AoS exhibited longer response latencies for whispered speech, reflecting difficulties in the initiation of utterances requiring an unvoiced production. In contrast, participants with HD showed faster response latencies for whispered speech, indicating that this speech mode is easier to encode/control for this population. Acoustic durations followed these same trends, with participants with AoS showing greater lengthening for whispered speech as compared to controls and to participants with HD, while participants with HD exhibited milder lengthening. Contrary to the predictions of speech production models, suggesting that speech mode changes might be particularly difficult in dysarthria, the present results suggest that speech mode adaptation rather seems particularly costly for participants with AoS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stuttering, affecting approximately 1% of the global population, is a complex speech disorder significantly impacting individuals' quality of life. Prior studies using electromyography (EMG) to examine orofacial muscle activity in stuttering have presented mixed results, highlighting the variability in neuromuscular responses during stuttering episodes. Fifty-five participants with stuttering and 30 individuals without stuttering, aged between 18 and 40, participated in the study. EMG signals from five facial and cervical muscles were recorded during speech tasks and analyzed for mean amplitude and frequency activity in the 5–15 Hz range to identify significant differences. Upon analysis of the 5–15 Hz frequency range, a higher average amplitude was observed in the zygomaticus major muscle for participants while stuttering (p < 0.05). Additionally, when assessing the overall EMG signal amplitude, a higher average amplitude was observed in samples obtained from disfluencies in participants who did not stutter, particularly in the depressor anguli oris muscle (p < 0.05). Significant differences in muscle activity were observed between the two groups, particularly in the depressor anguli oris and zygomaticus major muscles. These results suggest that the underlying neuromuscular mechanisms of stuttering might involve subtle aspects of timing and coordination in muscle activation. Therefore, these findings may contribute to the field of biosensors by providing valuable perspectives on neuromuscular mechanisms and the relevance of electromyography in stuttering research. Further research in this area has the potential to advance the development of biosensor technology for language-related applications and therapeutic interventions in stuttering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to thoroughly study the connection between congenital heart disease (CHD) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) through observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) designs. Methods: This observational study uses data from the National Survey of Children's Health (2020–2021). Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to analyze the association. PSM was used to minimize bias for covariates such as age, race, gender, maternal age, birth weight, concussion or brain injury, preterm birth, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other inherited conditions. In MR analyses, inverse variance-weighted measures, weighted median, and MR-Egger were employed to calculate causal effects. Results: A total of 85,314 children aged 0–17 were analyzed in this study. In regression analysis, CHD (p = 0.04), the current heart condition (p = 0.03), and the severity of current heart condition (p < 0.05) had a suggestive association with speech or language disorders. The severity of current heart condition (p = 0.08) has a potential statistically significant association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). In PSM samples, ADHD(p = 0.003), intellectual disability(p = 0.012), and speech or language disorders(p < 0.001) were all significantly associated with CHD. The severity of current heart condition (p < 0.001) also had a significant association with autism. MR analysis did not find causality between genetically proxied congenital cardiac malformations and the risk of NDDs. Conclusions: Our study shows that children with CHD have an increased risk of developing NDDs. Heart conditions currently and severity of current heart conditions were also significantly associated with these NDDs. In the future, we need to try more methods to clarify the causal relationship between CHD and NDDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Voice onset time (VOT) may be affected by deficits in laryngeal or supralaryngeal structures. This study aimed to compare the VOT parameters between the children with repaired cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and their healthy peers. Material and Methods: Thirty-nine children with repaired CL/P (X̅±SD age; 11.51±3.53 years) and 39 healthy children (X̅±SD age; 11.44±3.40 years) were included in the study. Clinical data including age, gender, speaking language, hearing status, type of CL/P, presence of lip/palate repairment, results of speech-sound disorder examination, and presence of malocclusion and/or oronasal fistula were retrospectively collected. VOT values for/pa/,/ta/, and/ka/syllables were obtained using Praat software and compared between the study group (SG) and the control group (CG). Results: VOT values differed significantly between the (SG) and (CG) which were prolonged in the SG for all measured/pa/(p=0.015),/ta/(p=0.045), and/ka/(p=0.037) syllables. In the SG, the longest VOT was observed for the/ka/,/ta/, and pa/syllables, respectively. Conclusion: The presence of CL/P may have contributed to prolonged VOT values in Turkish-speaking children. Since VOT is a reliable acoustic parameter closely interacting with speech structures, clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case report expands the reported range of clinical presentations of CV2/CRMP5 antibody‐related syndromes with two novel findings (manic psychosis and psychogenic polydipsia). A systematic literature review highlights a potentially higher incidence of psychosis than previously reported, clinical features that should prompt antibody testing, and the potential for treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although dysarthria and respiratory failure are widely described in literature as part of the natural history of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the specific interaction between them has been little explored. Aim: To investigate the relationship between chronic respiratory failure and the speech of ALS patients. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional retrospective study we reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with ALS that were accompanied by a tertiary referral center. In order to determine the presence and degree of speech impairment, the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-revised (ALSFRS-R) speech sub-scale was used. Respiratory function was assessed through spirometry and through venous blood gasometry obtained from a morning peripheral venous sample. To determine whether differences among groups classified by speech function were significant, maximum and mean spirometry values of participants were compared using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with Tukey's post hoc test. Results: Seventy-five cases were selected, of which 73.3% presented speech impairment and 70.7% respiratory impairment. Respiratory and speech functions were moderately correlated (seated FVC r = 0.64; supine FVC r = 0.60; seated FEV1 r = 0.59 and supine FEV1 r = 0.54, p <.001). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the following variables were significantly associated with the presence of speech impairment after adjusting for other risk factors: seated FVC (odds ratio [OR] = 0.862) and seated FEV1 (OR = 1.106). The final model was 81.1% predictive of speech impairment. The presence of daytime hypercapnia was not correlated to increasing speech impairment. Conclusion: The restrictive pattern developed by ALS patients negatively influences speech function. Speech is a complex and multifactorial process, and lung volume presents a pivotal role in its function. Thus, we were able to find that lung volumes presented a significant correlation to speech function, especially in those with bulbar onset and respiratory impairment. Neurobiological and physiological aspects of this relationship should be explored in further studies with the ALS population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data in national health care quality registries must be valid and reliable in order to enable open comparisons of results. To assess the reliability of data on percent consonants correct (PCC) and its associated quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants in the Swedish quality registry for patients born with cleft lip and palate (CLP) registry. Six independent speech-language pathologists re-assessed the audio recordings of 96 five-year-olds with PCC data in the CLP registry. Target consonants of a single-word picture-naming test were phonetically transcribed, and PCC was calculated. The reliability of PCC data was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The reliability of the quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants was assessed with point-by-point percentage agreement and Cohen's kappa. Intra- and inter-judge agreement for PCC was excellent with ICCs above 0.9, and so was the agreement of data from the CLP registry and the six judges' re-assessments. The percentage agreement between all judges and the CLP registry for the quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants was poor (67%). However, in 88% of the cases, results from four judges and the CLP registry agreed, corresponding to good agreement. The mean of all kappa values for six judges and the CLP registry corresponded to good agreement (0.72). The results indicate the PCC data in the CLP registry and the quality indicator ≥86% correct consonants to be reliable. When differences in outcome between treatment centres are detected, the raw data collected should always be re-examined before drawing definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article aims to identify the optimal cutoff score and the diagnostic accuracy for the English version of Speech Handicap Index (SHI) to screen out individuals with and without speech disorders in daily life. In this cross-sectional cohort study, a volunteer sample of 104 adult patients after total laryngectomy and 99 healthy controls in the United States completed the English version of SHI online questionnaire. Sensitivity and specificity were computed for a range of cut-off values using the Receiving Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis to establish an optimal cutoff point for the SHI. Other measures of diagnostic accuracy, such as likelihood ratios (LR), positive predictive values (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) were also computed. Patients after total laryngectomy obtained a higher score than the healthy controls on the mean scores of SHI. According to the ROC analysis, an optimal cutoff score of 17 points determined by Youden index was identified on the head and neck cancer population with a sensitivity of 92.31%, specificity of 92.31%, PPV of 90.60%, NPV of 91.75%, LR + of 9.14, and LR- of 0.09. The cutoff score of the English version of SHI applied on the English-speaking population in the United States demonstrated promising diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical arterial dissection (CAD) is an important cause of stroke in young people which may be missed because early features may mimic migraine or a musculoskeletal presentation. The study aimed to develop a diagnostic support tool for early identification of CAD. Retrospective observational study Tertiary hospital Radiologically confirmed CAD cases (n = 37), non-CAD stroke cases (n = 20), and healthy controls (n = 100). The presence of CAD is confirmed with imaging. Predictive variables included risk factors and clinical characteristics of CAD. Variables with a p-value <0.2 included in a multivariable model. Predictive utility of the model is assessed by calculating area underthe ROC curve (AUC). The model including four variables: age 40–55 years (vs < 40), trauma, recent onset headache, and > 2 neurological features, demonstrated excellent discrimination: AUC of 0.953 (95% CI: 0.916, 0.987). A predictive scoring system (total score/7) identified an optimal threshold of ≥ 3 points, with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 79%. The study identified a diagnostic support tool with four variables to predict increased risk of CAD. Validation in a clinical sample is needed to confirm variables and refine descriptors to enable clinicians to efficiently apply the tool. Optimum cutoff scores of ≥ 3/7 points will help identify those in whom CAD should be considered and further investigation instigated. The potential impact of the tool is to improve early recognition of CAD in those with acute headache or neck pain, thereby facilitating more timely medical intervention, preventing inappropriate treatment, and improving patient outcomes. Wordcount: 3195 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the speech sounds processes of children diagnosed with mental delays. Additionally, we explored all the sounds of the Albanian language, in level of articulation. We recruited 50 children, including 25 boys and 25 girls, with a mean age of 7.68 years. The results support the hypothesis that children diagnosed with mental delays are prone to speech sounds difficulties. Therefore, emphasizing the importance of possible risks in communication level is needed in order to address the needs of children with mental delays. Finally, this study is one of the first that investigated the phenomena of speech sounds difficulties in children with mental delays in Kosovar context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysarthria is a common manifestation across cerebellar ataxias leading to impairments in communication, reduced social connections, and decreased quality of life. While dysarthria symptoms may be present in other neurological conditions, ataxic dysarthria is a perceptually distinct motor speech disorder, with the most prominent characteristics being articulation and prosody abnormalities along with distorted vowels. We hypothesized that uncertainty of vowel predictions by an automatic speech recognition system can capture speech changes present in cerebellar ataxia. Speech of participants with ataxia (N=61) and healthy controls (N=25) was recorded during the "picture description" task. Additionally, participants' dysarthric speech and ataxia severity were assessed on a Brief Ataxia Rating Scale (BARS). Eight participants with ataxia had speech and BARS data at two timepoints. A neural network trained for phoneme prediction was applied to speech recordings. Average entropy of vowel tokens predictions (AVE) was computed for each participant's recording, together with mean pitch and intensity standard deviations (MPSD and MISD) in the vowel segments. AVE and MISD demonstrated associations with BARS speech score (Spearman's rho=0.45 and 0.51), and AVE demonstrated associations with BARS total (rho=0.39). In the longitudinal cohort, Wilcoxon pairwise signed rank test demonstrated an increase in BARS total and AVE, while BARS speech and acoustic measures did not significantly increase. Relationship of AVE to both BARS speech and BARS total, as well as the ability to capture disease progression even in absence of measured speech decline, indicates the potential of AVE as a digital biomarker for cerebellar ataxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) causes a variety of symptoms in speech production, such as more frequent pauses and an increase in the duration of pauses in the speech. However, there is almost no data on whether the disease affects speech fluency in other ways, such as changes in the frequency of disfluencies in speech. The main question of this study is the following: if we examine speech fluency in speech tasks requiring different cognitive load, will there be a difference between patients and controls? Twenty people with relapsing-remitting MS (3 men and 17 women) and 20 age- and education-matched control speakers (4 men and 16 women) participated in the study. Speech samples were recorded with each participant in three speech tasks: 1) spontaneous narratives about their own lives, 2) narratives about their previous day, and 3) narrative recalls based on a heard text. In the speech samples, pauses and disfluencies were annotated and the duration of pauses was measured. Then, the frequency of pauses and disfluencies were calculated and the types of disfluencies were examined. The results show that there are differences in the frequency and duration of pauses between people with MS and controls. However, there were no significant differences in the frequency of disfluencies between the groups. The same types of disfluencies occurred in the same frequency in both groups. The results help to better understand the speech production processes in MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disfluency in children and adults seems to occur like errors of speech but, at the same time, is an essential feature of spontaneous (unprepared) speech. The present study aimed to evaluate linguistic disfluencies in typically and atypically developing Russian-speaking children from the perspective of the dynamic adaptive model of self-monitoring in speech production. The study collected four language samples from 10 six-year-old children with developmental language disorder and 14 typically developing peers: two storytelling tasks, structured conversation, and a play argument. After transcribing audio-recordings and marking linguistic disfluencies, the authors conducted structured distributional analysis. The distribution of several indexes of disfluency was estimated to assess the prevalence and profiles of different (sub)types of disfluencies. The disfluency rate statistics were similar between the typically developing children and children with developmental language disorder. The distributional indexes score showed that tasks significantly impacted the rate of different (sub)types of disfluencies. Task-related patterns in a set of the distributional indexes significantly distinguished the groups. Thus, changes in the disfluency profile related to different external factors, as a sign of a flexibility of an adaptive self-monitoring system, may be limited in children with developmental language disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One aim of this article is to shift mindsets from the traditional identification of written language abilities that are “missing” in students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) to writing assessment as the discovery of more complex language strengths foundational to success across disciplines. The multiple language-levels (MLL) perspective is grounded on identifying strengths in written language that may be present in students’ responses to classroom writing activities. We used MLL to examine the compositions of 19 students in grades 4–9 who were classified with SLDs and struggled with academic writing. Their writing assignment was to explain how astronauts wrote about space exploration. The MLL approach revealed hidden strengths at the big picture (global or thematic) and close-up (local) levels of composing. Patterns of strengths discovered at the global and local levels are described with four case examples and instructional implications are noted. Suggestions for treatment are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echolalia, a language phenomenon whereby individuals imitate the speech of others, is commonly used by children and adults with autism. Research into the underlying nature and meanings associated with this repetitive behaviour is characterised by a lack of conceptual definitions and conflicting opinions about the functions of echolalia. A scoping review was undertaken to summarise the range of perspectives on these topics and identify associated research gaps. Five databases were searched, and 28 studies met the eligibility criteria. Results showed clear groupings in the topics discussed, based around interactional intent, factors that affect the frequency and type of echolalia, language development, measurement, and functions of echolalia. The review revealed that echolalia has a number of functions for people with autism, however many interventions continue to focus on reduction or elimination of echolalia. Findings suggest that further research is required to examine possible functions of echolalia. Confirming the function of this behaviour for people with autism is likely to have direct consequences for the type of intervention deemed appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The relationship between ankyloglossia and speech is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tongue-tie release on speech articulation and intelligibility. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. Pediatric patients (>2 years of age) being referred for speech concerns due to ankyloglossia were assessed by a pediatric otolaryngologist, and speech articulation was formally assessed by a speech language pathologist using the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation 2 (GFTA-2). Patients then underwent a tongue-tie release procedure in clinic. After 1 month, speech articulation was reassessed with GFTA-2. Audio-recordings of sessions were evaluated by independent reviewers to assess speech intelligibility before and after tongue-tie release. Results: Twenty-five participants were included (mean age 3.7 years; 20 boys). The most common speech errors identified were phonological substitutions (80%) and gliding errors (56%). Seven children (28%) had abnormal lingual-alveolar and interdental sounds. Most speech sound errors (87.9%) were age/developmentally appropriate. GFTA-2 standard scores before and after tongue-tie release were 85.61 (SD 9.75) and 87.54 (SD 10.21), respectively, (P=.5). Mean intelligibility scores before and after tongue-tie release were 3.15 (SD.22) and 3.21 (SD.31), respectively, (P=.43). Conclusion: The majority of children being referred for speech concerns thought to be due to ankyloglossia had age-appropriate speech errors at presentation. Ankyloglossia was not associated with isolated tongue mobility related speech articulation errors in a consistent manner, and there was no benefit of tongue-tie release in improving speech articulation or intelligibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP) is a rare disease with diffuse thickening of the dura mater that has no specific clinical symptoms and manifestations and it causes neurosurgeons to misdiagnose. A 4-year-old girl presented at the emergency room of our hospital with speech difficulty and severe headache. Head computed tomography scans (CT scan) on admission revealed a large fluid collection over the right temporoparietal region with mass effect, and the neurosurgeon drained it with the initial diagnosis of subdural hematoma. However, the postoperative CT scan demonstrated the failure of surgical drainage; therefore, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was requested for the patient. MRI identified diffuse nodular dural thickening with internal septations and different internal hemorrhagic stages on the right side with no evidence of brain parenchymal involvement and according to the serology and autoimmune screening tests, and IHP was diagnosed for the patient. The patient underwent craniotomy. There was an immediate improvement of neurologic symptoms. The patient had good clinical and radiologic outcome at 3 -months follow-up. IHP should be part of the differential diagnosis of some cases of noncommunicating hydrocephalus; however, the rarity of the disease and the absence of specific clinical symptoms make the diagnosis difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysarthria is a speech communication disorder that is associated with neurological impairments. To detect this disorder from speech, we present an experimental comparison of deep models developed based on frequency domain features. A comparative analysis of deep models is performed in the detection of dysarthria using scalogram of dysarthric speech. Also, it can assist physicians, specialists, and doctors based on the results of its detection. Since dysarthric speech signals have segments of breathy and semi-whispery, experiments are performed only on the frequency-domain representation of speech signals. Time-domain speech signal is transformed into a 2-D scalogram image through wavelet transformation. Then, the scalogram images are applied to pre-trained convolutional neural networks. The layers of pre-trained networks are tuned for our scalogram images through transfer learning. The proposed method of applying the scalogram images as input to pre-trained CNNs is evaluated on the TORGO database and the classification performance of these networks is compared. In this work, AlexNet, GoogLeNet, ResNet 50 and two pre-trained sound CNNs, namely VGGish and YAMNET are considered deep models of pre-trained convolutional neural networks. The proposed method of using pre-trained and transfer learned CNN with scalogram image feature achieved better accuracy when compared to other machine learning models in the dysarthria detection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diadochokinetic (DDK) rate tasks are extensively used in the evaluation of speech disorders; however, it is unclear how the different types of speech stimuli affect DDK rate performance. Aims: To investigate the effect of age, gender and type of stimuli (non‐words versus real words) on the DDK rates in individuals across the lifespan and to provide normative data for Greek. Also to examine the discrimination ability of the speech DDK stimuli administered (non‐words and real words) based on a dual DDK assessment protocol using a polytomous item response theory (IRT) model. Methods & Procedure: The participants were 1747 monolingual Greek speakers (376 children, aged 4–17 years; and 1371 adults, aged 18–90+ years). All participants had normal hearing acuity which allowed them to understand and follow instructions. Participants with a medical condition or a language disorder which would affect DDK rate performance were excluded from the study. The time‐by‐count method was used, and all participants had to repeat as accurately and fast as possible: (1) four disyllabic non‐words (/'gaba/, /'taka/, /'kata/, /'baga/), (2) four disyllabic real words (/'kapa/, /'tapa/, /ka'la/, /'paka/) and (3) two trisyllabic non‐words (/'pataka/, /'badaga/). All responses were recorded and the speech samples that did not include at least 5 s of correct repetitions were excluded from the analysis. Outcomes & Results: Age affected significantly DDK rates with performance increasing gradually until approximately the age of 40 and then gradually decreasing. Gender had no effect. Overall, there was a significant advantage of disyllabic real word stimuli over disyllabic non‐word stimuli and of trisyllabic non‐word stimuli over disyllabic non‐word stimuli on DDK rates performance. IRT analysis suggested that the data fit the polytomous model reasonably well and all DDK stimuli (real words and non‐words) showed a strong relationship (loadings > 0.50) with the latent trait. Conclusions & Implications: The current study complements prior research which supports that age and type of stimuli significantly affect DDK rates performance. It is the first study, that testifies to the benefit of real‐word stimuli over non‐word stimuli on DDK rates across the lifespan in a large representative sample. The implementation of IRT analysis provides empirical evidence about the discrimination ability of the DDK stimuli administered and confirms the reliability of this dual DDK assessment protocol. These findings are valuable for clinicians who work with motor speech disorders. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Age, type of stimuli (real words versus non‐words) and language significantly affect DDK rates performance. Current research strongly suggests the administration of language‐specific norms since language‐dependent features seem to have a noteworthy effect on the DDK rates, but scarce evidence exists about the discriminatory ability of the DDK speech stimuli commonly administered. What this study adds to the existing knowledge: Conflicting findings have been reported about the effect of different types of DDK speech stimuli (real words and non‐words) but no study to date has evaluated their discriminatory abilities. The current study is the first to implement a polytomous IRT model to examine this issue. This is also the first study to attempt an investigation of the effect of types of stimuli (real words versus non‐words) on a large representative sample across the lifespan (4–90+ years) and to provide normative data for Greek. What are the practical and clinical implications of this work?: The present study offers concrete evidence about the advantage of real‐word stimuli over non‐word stimuli in Greek, as well as normative data for the Greek‐speaking populations. Moreover, the IRT analysis testifies to the discriminatory ability of real‐word and non‐word stimuli affirming the reliability of the present dual DDK assessment protocol as a psychometrically sound measure of DDK ability. The above has significant value for clinicians who work with individuals with motor speech disorders as the protocol can help them with the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of motor speech disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) can affect social interaction and communication as well as motor and cognitive processes. Speech is affected in PD, as is the control of voluntary eye movements which are thought to play an important role in 'turn taking' in conversation. Aims: This study aimed to measure eye movements during spoken conversation in PD to assess whether differences in patterns of eye gaze are linked to disrupted turn taking and impaired communication efficiency. Methods & Procedure: Eleven participants with mild PD and 14 controls completed a two‐player guessing game. During each 3 min game turn, one of the players had to guess the names of as many objects as possible based only on the other player's description. Eye movements were recorded simultaneously in both participants using mobile eye trackers along with speech onset and offset times. Outcomes & Results: When people with PD played the role of describer, the other player guessed fewer objects compared to when controls described objects. When guessing objects, people with PD performed just as well as controls. Analysis of eye fixations showed that people with PD made longer periods of fixation on the other player's face relative to controls and a lower number of such 'gaze on face' periods. Conclusions & Implications: A combination of oculomotor, cognitive and speech abnormalities may disrupt communication in PD. Better public awareness of oculomotor, speech and other deficits in the condition could improve social connectedness in people with Parkinson's. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject?: Parkinson's disease is known to affect the control of voluntary eye movements. Direction of eye gaze is important in spoken conversation as a cue to turn‐taking, but no studies have examined whether eye movements are different during communication in people with Parkinson's. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: People with Parkinson's showed longer periods of eye fixation during conversations compared to controls. Delays and overlaps between speech turns were also affected in patients. What are the clinical implications of this work?: Better knowledge of the effect of the disease on eye gaze control amongst clinicians may help improve communication and social connectedness for patients in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impaired discourse production is commonly reported for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Discourse deficits can negatively impact community integration, return to employment and quality of life. COVID‐19 restrictions have reduced in‐person assessment services for people with communication impairments. Advances in telehealth may help speech and language therapists (SLTs) to assess monologic discourse more systematically and improve access to services for patients who may find it difficult to attend in‐person. Aims: To examine the feasibility of telehealth administration of narrative and procedural discourse tasks with individuals with TBI and matched controls. Methods & Procedures: A total of 20 individuals with TBI and 20 healthy controls, aged 18–55 years, were directly recruited from the UK and indirectly recruited from the US. For participants with TBI, time post‐injury was at least 3 months with no diagnosis of aphasia. Control participants were matched for sex and as closely as possible for age. Feasibility of measures was based upon the time to administer both narrative tasks, the report of any technological problems, and participant feed. Discourse samples were transcribed verbatim and analysed using story grammar analysis (for narrative discourse) and identification of propositions (for procedural discourse). Interrater reliability was calculated using percentage agreement for 50% of the data. Non‐parametric analyses were used to analyse the performance of the two groups. Outcomes & Results: Narrative and procedural discourse samples were collected via telehealth in approximately 10 min with no reported technical difficulties or complaints from any participants. For narrative discourse performance, there were significant differences for the TBI and control groups for measures of complete episodes (p < 0.001) and missing episodes (p = 0.005). No significant group differences were noted for any of the procedural discourse measures. Conclusions & Implications: Results support the feasibility of collecting discourse samples via telehealth. Although the participants' discourse performance distinguished the TBI and control groups on the narrative task, no differences between the groups were noted for the procedural task. The narrative discourse task may have been more difficult than the procedural task, or video cue support reduced the cognitive load of the procedural task. This finding suggests the use of more complex procedural tasks without video cue support may be needed. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Although little research has explored the feasibility of administering discourse assessments for individuals with TBI via telehealth, some studies have found that discourse interventions can be feasibly administered via telehealth. It is also well established that individuals with TBI struggle with the supra‐structural and macro‐linguistic elements of discourse production. Both procedural and narrative discourse tasks have been found to differentiate individuals with TBI from healthy controls. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Few studies have investigated the feasibility of, and procedures for, administering discourse tasks via telehealth. Additionally, the inclusion of multiple types of discourse tasks to parse cognitive–communication abilities is lacking in the current literature. Findings from this study support that narrative and procedural discourse can be feasibly sampled via telehealth and that international collaboration for research on this topic can facilitate such studies. Individuals with TBI performed more poorly on three measures of narrative discourse. No differences between groups were identified for the procedural task. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Telehealth assessment for discourse provides flexibility for both the individual with TBI and the speech–language therapist and does not compromise the quality of data collected. The administration of discourse tasks and collection of data was not time‐consuming and was well accepted by the study participants. Additionally, international research collaboration not only expands potential participation in research but increases the opportunity to recruit and study more diverse groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) type 5 is an autosomal dominant (AD) disorder and is characterized by intellectual disability (ID), psychomotor developmental delay, variable autism phenotypes, microcephaly, and seizure. IDD can be caused by mutations in the SYNGAP1 gene, which encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein. This study revealed a novel de novo nonsense variant in SYNGAP1. The identification of such variants is essential for genetic counseling in patients and their families. Methods Exome sequencing implicated the causative variant. Sanger sequencing and cosegregation analyses were used to confirm the variant. Multiple in silico analysis tools were applied to interpret the variant using the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology guidelines. Results The de novo NM_006772.3(SYNGAP1) :c.3685C>T variant was identified in an 11-year-old boy with severe intellectual disability, neurodevelopmental delay, speech disorder, ataxia, specific dysmorphic facial features, and aggressive behavior. Conclusion The current study findings expand the existing knowledge of variants in SYNGAP1 that have been previously associated with nonsyndromic intellectual disability and autism, extending the spectrum of phenotypes associated with this gene. The data have implications for genetic diagnosis and counseling in similar phenotypic presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide (ACR) is an irritant that can cause damage to the eyes, skin, and nervous and reproductive systems. This study aims to illustrate a case of central nervous system and optic nerve damage from exposure to ACR. In this case, a 49-year-old male material handler was accidentally splashed with ACR solution on both of his upper limbs. Consequently, he was admitted to the hospital with toxic encephalopathy, characterized by cerebellar ataxia and slurred speech. Magnetic resonance imaging scan, a brain computed tomography scan blood sample analyses, optic coherence tomography, electroneuromyogram, and visual evoked potentials examination were performed. After 20 days of receiving symptomatic support treatment, the patient continued to experience disturbances in consciousness. Then, he developed vision loss, memory disorders, and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy such as skin peeling, extremity weakness, and absent tendon reflexes. This case report underscores the severe consequences of acute dermal exposure to high concentrations of ACR, resulting in toxic encephalopathy, visual impairment, and memory disorders, which will contribute to a broader understanding of ACR toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Smith--Magenis syndrome (SMS), a rare, genetically linked complex developmental disorder caused by a deletion or mutation within chromosome 17p11.2, is associated with delays in speech-language development, otopathology, and hearing loss, yet previous studies lack comprehensive descriptions of hearing and communication profiles. Here, analyses of patient registry data expand what is known about speech, language, hearing, and otopathology in SMS. Method: International speech-language and hearing registry survey data for 82 individuals with SMS were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Hearing loss, history of otitis media and pressure equalization (PE) tubes, communication mode, expressive/receptive language, and vocal quality were analyzed for all subjects and subjects grouped by age. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square tests of independence to test for differences between age groups for each variable of interest. Association analyses included Pearson's correlations. Results: Hearing and otological analyses revealed that 35% of subjects had hearing loss, 66% had a history of otitis media, and 62% had received PE tubes. Speech-language analyses revealed that 60% of subjects communicated using speech, 79% began speaking words at/after 24 months of age, 92% combined words at/after 36 months, and 41% used sign language before speech. There was a significant association between the age that first words were spoken and the age that PE tubes were first placed. Communication strengths noted in more than 40% of subjects included social interest, humor, and memory for people, past events, and/or facts. Conclusions: Significant delays and impairment in speech-language were common, but the majority of those with SMS communicated using speech by age 6 years. Age was a significant factor for some aspects of hearing loss and communication. Neither hearing loss nor otitis media exacerbated language impairment. These results confirm and extend previous findings about the nature of speech, language, hearing, and otopathology in those with SMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Apraxia of speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder affecting articulatory planning and speech programming. When AOS is the sole manifestation of neurodegeneration, it is termed primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS). Recent work has shown that there are distinct PPAOS subtypes: phonetic, prosodic, and those that do not clearly align with either (mixed). PPAOS subtypes differ with respect to the predominating motor speech difficulties, as well as disease progression and underlying pathology. Because past studies have determined PPAOS subtype based on clinical impression, the goal of the present study was to quantitatively determine the distribution of speech error types across PPAOS sub-types in a word repetition task and to investigate how word complexity affects the type and number of speech errors across PPAOS subtypes. Method: Forty-five patients with PPAOS (13 phonetic, 23 prosodic, and nine mixed) and 45 healthy controls produced multiple repetitions of words that varied in phonetic complexity. Sound additions, deletions, and substitutions/distortions (phonetic errors) and within-word segmentations (prosodic errors) were calculated. Results: All three PPAOS groups produced significantly more errors than controls, but the total number of errors was comparable among subtypes. The phonetic group produced more phonetic-type errors compared to the prosodic group but comparable to the mixed group. The prosodic group produced more segmentations compared to the phonetic and mixed PPAOS groups. As word complexity increased, the total number of errors increased for PPAOS patients. The phonetic and prosodic groups were more likely to produce phonetic- and prosodic-type errors, respectively, as word complexity increased. Conclusions: This study provides novel quantitative data showing that PPAOS subtype can be supported by the type and distribution of speech errors in a word repetition task. This may facilitate earlier, more reliable differential diagnosis and aid in disease prognosis, as PPAOS subtypes have distinct disease trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the contribution of speech motor impairment (SMI), language impairment, and communication modality to communicative and overall participation outcomes in school-age children with cerebral palsy (CP). Method: Eighty-one caregivers of children with CP provided information about their child's speech and language skills, communication modality, and participation through a web-based survey. Caregiver responses to two validated scales were used to quantify children's communicative participation and overall participation. Children were classified into four speech-language profile groups and three communication modality groups for comparison, based on caregiver-reported information regarding their child's communication skills. Results: Children with CP who had co-occurring SMI and language impairment had significantly lower levels of communicative participation and involvement in activities overall, compared to children with SMI alone. Among children with SMI, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) use was associated with greater overall frequency of participation and involvement in life activities. Conclusion: Children with CP who have both SMI and language impairment and those who are nonspeaking communicators should be prioritized early for communication interventions focused on maximizing participation, including consideration of AAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Speech-sound disorders (SSD) have been linked to auditory processing difficulties, and auditory processing disorders (APD) have been related to phonological awareness and literacy development. To this date, there has not been a systematic literature review investigating the results of psychophysiology and language assessments related to SSD and APD in children. Methods: The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Medline EBSCO, and Scopus to identify studies with children diagnosed/suspected of having APDs and SSDs. The quality of methodology in the selected articles was evaluated with the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Results: Seven out of 378 relevant studies met the selection criteria. The findings were summarized for children with SSD and APD based on (a) metalinguistic and literacy skills, (b) cognitive abilities, and (c) temporal processing abilities. Three articles indicated that children with APD and SSD exhibit lower temporal task accuracy and reaction time. In two studies, children with SSD exhibited lower scores in discrimination, sequencing, and recall of brief stimuli in rapid succession. Conclusions: This review revealed associations between SSD severity and APD that may underline low performance in metalinguistic skills. Diagnostic assessments have been proposed based on the review to adequately identify children with SSD and APD and provide useful information for more suitable intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verbal and oral apraxia are two possible consequences of stroke. It seems that there are not sufficient studies regarding the frequency of these disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of Verbal and oral apraxia. In addition, the relationship between apraxia and some variables such as age, gender, and education, as well as the relationship between types of apraxia with each other, and damaged areas of the brain in apraxia of the oral system in Persian-speaking patients with stroke were studied. In this descriptive-analytical study, 42 patients participated using the convenient sampling method. Verbal and oral apraxia were assessed using the oral and verbal apraxia tasks for adults test. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test. The frequency of patients with oral apraxia was 35.7%, those with verbal apraxia was 2.3%, and the combination of both verbal and oral apraxia was 4.7%. People with apraxia were significantly older than those without apraxia. There was not any significant relationship between apraxia and gender, apraxia and education, and oral apraxia with verbal apraxia (p < 0.05). The present study's findings showed the high frequency of post-stroke apraxia and the high rate of its incidence with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Babbling is an important precursor to speech in infancy, and deviations from the typical babbling development can predict later difficulties in speech, language, and communication. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate babbling and early speech in Swedish extremely premature infants. Samples of babbling were collected from 20 extremely premature infants (EPT group) at the corrected age of 12 months. Data collection was home-based and consisted of an audio-video recording of each infant playing with a parent. Presence of canonical babbling (CB), and three oral stop variables distinctive of typical babbling, and consonant inventory were assessed. The assessment was performed during a standardised observation of babbling. Data from the EPT group were compared to previously collected data of a reference group of 20 10-month-old infants without known medical diagnoses. The results showed that the EPT group had a lower proportion of infants producing CB, and that they used a significantly smaller consonant inventory compared to the reference group. Although not statistically significant, oral stops were less frequently found in the EPT group. The findings of a restricted consonant inventory and low proportion of CB in the EPT group are not surprising considering that the group has been found to be at risk of speech and language delay in toddlerhood. Still, further research is needed to explore whether babbling at 12 months can predict speech and language skills at an older age in extremely premature infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in a case of co-occurring generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). This case study refers to a male aged 75 years with a diagnosis of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease. It focuses on applying a CBT model to address the psychological difficulties with PD and GAD. This case study reveals key aspects in presentation, diagnosis, and psychological treatment between PD and GAD, and is one of few studies published in this area. Symptoms of anxiety in an older adult with PD decreased during a course of CBT. The implications of the treatment outcome of this study and further considerations of treatment plans for comorbid PD and anxiety have been discussed. Using CBT could positively impact non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's, such as sleep difficulties and speech impediments. Using CBT for the catastrophic thinking and worry content in GAD seems to act as a complementary therapy for psychological/non-motor symptoms of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasing prevalence of online data collection, it is important to know how behavioral data obtained online compare to samples collected in the laboratory. This study compares online and in-person measurement of speech perception in older children and adolescents. Speech perception is important for assessment and treatment planning in speech-language pathology; we focus on the American English /ɹ/ sound because of its frequency as a clinical target. Two speech perception tasks were adapted for web presentation using Gorilla: identification of items along a synthetic continuum from rake to wake, and category goodness judgment of English /ɹ/ sounds in words produced by various talkers with and without speech sound disorder. Fifty typical children aged 9–15 completed these tasks online using a standard headset. These data were compared to a previous sample of 98 typical children aged 9–15 who completed the same tasks in the lab setting. For the identification task, participants exhibited smaller boundary widths (suggestive of more acute perception) in the in-person setting relative to the online setting. For the category goodness judgment task, there was no statistically significant effect of modality. The correlation between scores on the two tasks was significant in the online setting but not in the in-person setting, but the difference in correlation strength was not statistically significant. Overall, our findings agree with previous research in suggesting that online and in-person data collection do not yield identical results, but the two contexts tend to support the same broad conclusions. In addition, these results suggest that online data collection can make it easier for researchers connect with a more representative sample of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Maxillomandibular reconstruction has various functional, aesthetic, and psychosocial effects that can decrease patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of this study was to compare HRQOL outcomes in older and younger patients undergoing maxillomandibular reconstruction. Methods: A cross‐sectional study of patients undergoing maxillomandibular reconstruction surgery between November 2008 and January 2021 was conducted. Participants completed the FACE‐Q Head and Neck Cancer Module, M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI), and Speech Handicap Index (SHI). Results from these instruments were used to compare HRQOL outcomes in old (≥70 years) and young (<70 years) patients. Results: Ninety‐nine patients who underwent maxillomandibular reconstruction completed the instruments (response rate 50%), of which 33 (33%) were aged ≥70 years. Older age was associated with improved FACE‐Q speaking (+11.3, P = 0.045), FACE‐Q cancer worry (−9.97, P = 0.050), and SHI score (−16.6, P = 0.013). After adjusting for the effect of radiotherapy, age was associated with improved FACE‐Q speaking (+16.8, P = 0.012), FACE‐Q smiling distress (+12.6, P = 0.040), FACE‐Q worry (−11.0, P = 0.032), and SHI scores (−18.4, P = 0.004). Older age was associated with an increased likelihood of postoperative complications (odds ratio (OR) = 2.9, P = 0.02) and medical complications (OR = 4.6, P = 0.012). Conclusion: In patients undergoing maxillomandibular reconstruction, older age (≥70 years) was associated with better HRQOL outcomes in domains relating to speech and cancer worry. In all other HRQOL outcomes, the two age groups performed similarly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reported herein sought to explore the effect of self-disclosure about stuttering on listener perceptions of persons who stutter (PWS). Sixty young adults who do not stutter were divided into three groups. Each group was assigned to one of three conditions: no disclosure (ND), apologetic self-disclosure (ApD), and assertive self-disclosure (AsD), followed by a narrative by a PWS presented auditorily. Participants then rated the PWS on a semantic differential scale. Results revealed no significant difference between listener ratings for ApD and ND conditions. The PWS in the AsD condition was perceived as "less sociable" than the PWS in the ND condition. The PWS disclosing assertively appeared to be rated more positively by female listeners. Being well acquainted with a PWS appeared to result in more positive perceptions indicating a need to educate the general public about stuttering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voice identification is being increasingly adopted in various domains, including security infrastructures, intelligent home systems, and personalised digital assistants. Notably, it harbours significant promise in transforming healthcare, especially in electronic health record detecting and speech impairment monitoring such as aphasia. Current strategies such as acoustic models based on deep learning, voice bio‐metrics, and spectrogram analysis, have been identified with several drawbacks including vulnerability to altered voices, susceptibility to ambient noise, and the necessity for significant computational power. In response to these issues, the authors introduce a ground‐breaking method of voice identification using Ultra‐Wideband (UWB) technology. This method capitalises on the micro‐Doppler shifts associated with movements of the laryngeal prominence. The distinctive nature of these bio‐metric traits related to speech production provides superior resistance against common pitfalls of voice identification. The proposed model leverages the high‐resolution characteristics of UWB to register tiny variations in laryngeal movements produced during speech, thus forming a distinct voice profile for each speaker. Through rigorous testing, the proposed system demonstrated significant progress in voice identification, achieving close to 90% accuracy in controlled experimental settings. This breakthrough indicates that UWB‐enabled voice identification could have a profound effect on medical applications, providing potential improvements in diagnosing, monitoring, possibly treating speech disorders, and thereby shaping a future of enhanced and secured healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is compelling evidence for cascading activation in adult lexical planning, there is little research on how and when cascaded processing develops. We use a picture naming task to compare word planning in adults and five-year-old children. We manipulated image codability (name agreement) and name frequency, factors that affect lexical selection and phonological encoding, respectively. These factors had qualitatively similar influences on naming response time in both populations, suggesting similar underlying planning processes. Critically, we found an under-additive interaction between codability and frequency such that the frequency effect was attenuated when name agreement was low. This interaction generalises across experiments and languages and can be simulated in a planning architecture in which phonological forms become activated before lexical selection is complete. These results provide evidence for cascaded processing at an earlier age than previous studies, suggesting that informational cascades are a fundamental property of the production architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Speech and language disorders can negatively affect preschool children’s communicative participation skills. Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six-34 (FOCUS-34) is a valid and reliable scale that evaluates communicative participation in preschool children with speech and language disorders. This study aimed to establish the Turkish version of FOCUS-34 (FOCUS-34-TR) and investigate its validity and reliability. Method: A total of 175 children with language disorders, speech sound disorders, and fluency disorders (aged 20-72 months) and their parents were included in the study. Parents were asked to complete the demographic information form, the FOCUS-34-TR scale, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE) Turkish version. The construct validity, convergent and divergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the scale were investigated. Results: The FOCUS-34-TR had high values for internal consistency (α = .97) and test-retest reliability (r = .95). The correlations between the FOCUS-34-TR total score and its subscales were between .77 and .90. A moderately significant negative correlation was found between the FOCUS-34-TR scale and the ASQ-SE. Conclusion: The Turkish version of FOCUS-34 is a valid and reliable scale that can be used in clinics and for research purposes to evaluate the communicative participation skills of Turkish-speaking preschool children with speech and language disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify sentence-level articulatory kinematics in individuals treated for oral squamous cell carcinoma (ITOC) compared to control speakers while also assessing the effect of treatment site (jaw vs. tongue). Furthermore, this study aimed to assess the relation between articulatory-kinematic measures and self-reported speech problems. Method: Articulatory-kinematic data from the tongue tip, tongue back, and jaw were collected using electromagnetic articulography in nine Dutch ITOC and eight control speakers. To quantify articulatory kinematics, the two-dimensional articulatory working space (AWS; in mm² ), one-dimensional anteroposterior range of motion (AP-ROM; in mm), and superior-inferior range of motion (SIROM in mm) were calculated and examined. Self-reported speech problems were assessed with the Speech Handicap Index (SHI). Results: Compared to a sex-matched control group, ITOC showed significantly smaller AWS, AP-ROM, and SI-ROM for both the tongue tip and tongue back sensor, but no significant differences were observed for the jaw sensor. This pattern was found for both individuals treated for tongue and jaw tumors. Moderate nonsignificant correlations were found between the SHI and the AWS of the tongue back and jaw sensors. Conclusions: Despite large individual variation, ITOC showed reduced one- and two-dimensional tongue, but not jaw, movements compared to control speakers and treatment for tongue and jaw tumors resulted in smaller tongue movements. A larger sample size is needed to establish a more generalizable connection between the AWS and the SHI. Further research should explore how these kinematic changes in ITOC are related to acoustic and perceptual measures of speech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop an automated speaker verification (ASV) system for individuals with dysarthria, a speech disorder affecting their ability to articulate words correctly. The ASV system utilizes a duration modification-based data augmentation technique to create a diverse and robust training set by modifying the duration of the training speech samples. The constant Q cepstral coefficient (CQCC) technique is utilized to extract the features, which is better suited for analyzing speech signals with varying spectral properties. It is helpful in speaker verification systems for speakers with non-uniform frequency distribution, and the CQCC features are insensitive to variations in speech rate and irregular pitch patterns. The study evaluates the performance of the ASV system by comparing CQCC and MFCC features and their combination. The study involved training separate i-vector and x-vector models using MFCC and CQCC features alone and in combination. We also investigated the impact of data augmentation through feature fusion on three levels of dysarthria severity: low, medium, and high. The study results indicated that the proposed system, which combined MFCC and CQCC features with duration modification-based data augmentation, performed significantly better than the baseline system. Specifically, the proposed system improved the i-vector and x-vector model EER (equal error rate) by 15.07% and 22.75%, respectively. The evaluation results show that the ASV system accurately verifies control and dysarthric speakers even with highly impaired speech intelligibility, making it a promising solution for security and authentication applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tongue carcinoma presents a global oncological challenge due to its aggressive nature and late-stage diagnosis. Glossectomy, a key surgical procedure for advanced cases, significantly affects both cancer control and essential functions such as speech and swallowing. Aim: To analyse the impact of different glossectomy types on oncological and functional outcomes in patients with advanced carcinoma of the tongue. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Uttarakhand, India over a one-year period from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023. The study included 47 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and posterior tongue who underwent glossectomy. Oncological outcomes (mortality and hospital stay) and functional outcomes (swallowing, speech, dysphagia, and Quality of Life (QoL)) were assessed. The questionnaires used were the EORTC Core Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), EORTC questionnaire for the assessment of QoL in head and neck cancer patients (EORTC QLQ-H&N35), M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI), and Speech Handicap Index (SHI). Follow-up was conducted at the 6th week to assess changes in the functional aspects compared to the baseline scores. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel, and the analysis was performed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 25.0. The data were analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study comprised 37 (78.72%) males and 10 (21.28%) females, with a mean age of 47.77±12.6 years. Preoperative staging indicated that 22 (46.81%) patients had T2N0 stage, 16 (34.04%) patients had T3, and 9 (19.15%) patients had T4a disease. Among the patients, 14 (29.79%) underwent partial glossectomy, 27 (57.45%) underwent hemiglossectomy, and 3 (6.38%) underwent subtotal glossectomy, and 3 (6.38%) underwent total glossectomy. The mean duration of hospital stay was 10.09±2.87 days. There were no instances of mortality or tumour recurrence at the 6th week. Regarding the functional outcomes, compared to baseline, at the 6th week, there was a significant decrease in EORTC QLQ-H&N35 median scores from 6.94 to 1.73 (p=0.005), but no significant change in the mean EORTC QLQ-C30 (90±8.22 versus (vs) 89.72±8.52, p=0.368), mean MDADI (4.51±1.2 vs 4.43±1.19, p=0.585), and mean SHI (15.81±25.76 vs 13.43±26.19, p=0.052). Conclusion: It can be inferred that glossectomy for advanced carcinoma of the tongue leads to a significant improvement in symptoms; however, the overall Quality of Life (QoL) and functions of the tongue such as swallowing and speech remain comparable to pre-surgery levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]