Testing hypotheses about the underlying deficit of apraxia of speech through computational neural modelling with the DIVA model

Hayo Terband, Joe Rodd, Edwin Maas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: A recent behavioural experiment featuring a noise masking paradigm suggests that Apraxia of Speech (AOS) reflects a disruption of feedforward control, whereas feedback control is spared and plays a more prominent role in achieving and maintaining segmental contrasts. The present study set out to validate the interpretation of AOS as a possible feedforward impairment using computational neural modelling with the DIVA (Directions Into Velocities of Articulators) model. Method: In a series of computational simulations with the DIVA model featuring a noise-masking paradigm mimicking the behavioural experiment, we investigated the effect of a feedforward, feedback, feedforward + feedback, and an upper motor neuron dysarthria impairment on average vowel spacing and dispersion in the production of six/bVt/speech targets. Result: The simulation results indicate that the output of the model with the simulated feedforward deficit resembled the group findings for the human speakers with AOS best. Conclusion: These results provide support to the interpretation of the human observations, corroborating the notion that AOS can be conceptualised as a deficit in feedforward control.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)475-486
Number of pages12
JournalInternational Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Volume22
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 3 2020

Keywords

  • apraxia of speech
  • computational modelling
  • feedback masking
  • vowel acoustics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Research and Theory
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Language and Linguistics
  • LPN and LVN
  • Speech and Hearing

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