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 language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 475-486 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 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