Articles tagged with Speech Disorders
Researchers at NYCU found that early brain activity contributes to the maturation of communication circuits, regulating Foxp2 expression. The study identifies a previously underappreciated circuit linking the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and striatum, which is active before vocalizations.
A University of Houston study challenges traditional views on dyslexia, suggesting it stems from an overall brain network vulnerability. The research identified two developmental origins: one related to brain architecture and another to synaptic signaling, which may be uniquely human.
A new pilot project by Frankfurt University Medicine and Münster University Hospital has shown that deep brain stimulation can significantly reduce stuttering frequency and severity. The treatment, which involves implanting a thin wire into the left thalamus of the brain, was found to decrease stuttering by 46% in one patient.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center found a correlation between impaired musical rhythm perception and developmental speech-language disorders, including dyslexia and stuttering. The studies suggest that musical rhythm ability can be used to design targeted therapeutic interventions for affected individuals.
A large-scale study led by New York University found that children receiving biofeedback speech therapy improved their 'r' sound pronunciation at a much faster rate than traditional methods. This technology-enhanced treatment approach uses visual feedback to improve speech, making it easier for children to adjust and reducing frustration.
Recent research highlights the challenges of communication for autistic adults, including language and nonverbal barriers. Experts recommend a multifaceted approach to support autistic individuals, focusing on adaptations that accommodate their differences.
Researchers have developed an AI system that can recognize the early warning stages of laryngeal cancer from voice recordings. By analyzing variations in tone, pitch, and volume, the AI can distinguish between voices with benign vocal fold lesions and those with cancer. The study's findings offer a promising breakthrough for non-invasi...
A large-scale study has identified 48 genes linked to stuttering, shedding light on the neurological pathways of risk. The findings suggest a shared genetic basis with autism, depression, and musicality, providing a foundation for future research.
Researchers at UC Davis developed a brain-computer interface that translates neural activity into speech in real time. The technology allows individuals with ALS to communicate more naturally and inclusively, with 60% of synthesized words intelligible to listeners.
Heavy screen use, particularly social media and video games, is associated with an increased risk of developing manic symptoms in U.S. preteens. The study found that prolonged screen time can lead to behaviors characteristic of bipolar-spectrum disorders, including inflated self-esteem, decreased sleep needs, and impulsivity.
Scientists discovered that aphasia patients struggle with both forming concept of time and selecting correct verb tense. The severity of these issues varied depending on the language and individual, with some facing challenges primarily during encoding or retrieval.
Researchers found that babies' first vocalizations and attempts at forming words coincide with fluctuations in their heart rate. This discovery may indicate that successful speech development depends on predictable ranges of autonomic activity during infancy.
The LUNA intervention, a multi-level language treatment, was found to improve narrative abilities and language functioning in individuals with chronic aphasia. The study, published in PLoS One, suggests that discourse-focused therapies can make a real difference in the lives of people with aphasia.
Researchers found that the auditory system uses simple acoustic parameters to distinguish music from speech, with slower rates and more regular amplitude modulation sounding more like music. This understanding can potentially benefit people with aphasia and inform the design of rehabilitation programs using music therapy.
Researchers at the University of Helsinki found that singing repairs the structural language network of the brain after a cerebrovascular accident. Singing also improved tract connectivity and increased grey matter volume in language regions, leading to improved speech production in patients with aphasia.
A new study published in npj Mental Health Research reveals three distinct language comprehension mechanisms in autistic children, challenging the common linear trajectory of language development. The findings support the idea that intensive language therapy should start earlier and highlight the importance of improving language compre...
Research by Uppsala University and Region Gotland found that new screening tools are effective in identifying early language and communication difficulties in children. The studies show a sharp increase in referrals to speech therapists after introducing Språkfyrn, a four-year-old screening tool.
A new study published in eClinicalMedicine found that the iTalkBetter app significantly improved patients' ability to talk after six weeks of use. The app provided digital speech therapy for over 200 commonly used words, with a 13% increase in naming items and improvements in spontaneous speech.
The USPSTF recommends against routine screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children under 5 due to insufficient evidence. School-aged children with delays are at risk of learning disabilities like reading and writing difficulties.
Researchers found that phonetic encoding in babies emerged gradually over the first year of life, beginning with labial sounds and nasal sounds. Parents should speak to their babies using sing-song speech as soon as possible to help them learn language.
A new speech prosthetic developed by Duke neuroscientists and engineers can translate brain signals into spoken words, improving communication for people with neurological disorders. The device achieved an accuracy rate of 40% in predicting intended speech from 90 seconds of brain activity.
A brain-computer interface (BCI) has been successfully used to restore control of home devices for a patient with ALS, allowing the individual to navigate a communication board and smart devices without recalibration. The BCI device was implanted on the surface of the brain areas responsible for speech and upper limb function, enabling...
Researchers from GIST propose a novel approach to mitigate overfitting in pretrained models used for voice pathology detection, achieving 12.36% and 15.38% improvement in recall using contrastive learning.
Neuroscientists at UC Berkeley have successfully reconstructed a recognizable song from brain recordings, capturing the electrical activity of brain regions tuned to music attributes. This breakthrough could enable future brain implants with prosodic content, improving communication for patients with speech disorders.
Researchers demonstrate the potential of optical imaging for safely measuring vocal fold elasticity and pliability. The study found good agreement between Brillouin microspectroscopy results and conventional elasticity measurements.
Researchers studied systematic variation in AAE speech production, including final consonant reduction, to prevent misdiagnosis of speech disorders. The study highlights the importance of accepting variation in human language without penalizing users.
Researchers found that Foxp2 mutations disrupt the formation of dendrites and neuronal synapses in brain regions involved in speech production. Mice with these mutations showed impairments in producing high-frequency sounds necessary for communication.
Researchers have developed a computer-assisted method to automate the assessment of speech severity in ataxia patients, achieving an 80% hit rate. The new methodology leverages artificial intelligence and could simplify procedures for determining ataxia severity, facilitating research and clinical practice.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed the first molecular therapeutic for Angelman syndrome, a devastating neurogenetic disorder. The therapy targets an evolutionarily conserved region in the UBE3A-AS transcript and has shown promising results in clinical trials.
A recent study published in Human Reproduction found a significant association between prenatal alcohol exposure and changes in children's facial features. The research used AI to analyze three-dimensional images of children's faces at ages nine and thirteen, revealing that mothers' alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy can h...
A new research project aims to promote dual-language development for children with autism in bilingual families. The study will examine the type of bilingual environment and factors related to their ability to speak or understand both languages.
A new study found that children with persistent speech disorder are more likely to experience peer problems and emotional difficulties in school. The researchers analyzed data from over 7,300 participants and found no significant associations between speech disorders and depressive symptoms or antisocial behavior.
A new study from Duke University found that a person's race affects their inclination to ask questions, with Black women asking half as many questions as White participants. This may impact diagnosis and treatment of communication impairments resulting from right hemisphere stroke.
A literature review reveals speech patterns can accurately diagnose psychiatric disorders, measure severity and predict onset. Automated analysis outperforms subjective measures like interviews or questionnaires.
Researchers from Kaunas University of Technology and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences developed an AI-based system to evaluate the 'substitute voice' of laryngectomy patients, allowing for faster detection of pathologies. The Acoustic Substitution Voice Index (ASVI) uses acoustic parameters and artificial intelligence methods t...
A new Baycrest study found that using adaptive language-learning software is extremely beneficial in helping stroke survivors regain their language skills. The researchers used an online program to practice identifying images, and participants showed significant improvement after just two weeks.
New research presents neurotechnology as a powerful tool for studying the brain and enabling targeted therapies for neurological disorders. Devices like nerve stimulators and brain implants can monitor or modulate neural activity, offering potential treatments for conditions such as paralysis and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A new study aims to diagnose severe neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and FTD with the help of speech tests. AI can analyze subtle nuances of speech patterns, including pauses, speed, and melodic aspects, to detect early changes.
A study published in the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research found that children with dyslexia often perform well on simple phonological tests, but struggle with more complex tasks. The researchers suggest that these more complex tests better predict a child's risk of dyslexia.
Researchers found a specific CAPRIN1 gene mutation linked to impaired protein production, leading to autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, language impairments, and muscle weakness. The study also identified similar symptoms in patients with early-onset ataxia and myasthenia.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center used fMRI to study how the brain processes complex audiovisual speech. The study found that watching a narrator tell a story activates an extensive network of brain regions involved in sensory processing and cognitive functions associated with comprehension. This finding has pot...
Researchers have found that children with autism show significant differences in their pupillary light reflexes, which can be used as a potential screening biomarker. The study demonstrates the parameters of interest that matter for detecting autism and validates earlier findings using monocular technology.
Scientists have identified two areas of the auditory cortex specialized to recognize human voice sounds without linguistic meaning. These regions help react to sound cues allowing people to identify characteristics of the person speaking, such as gender, age, and height. This discovery sheds light on neurological disorders affecting vo...
A new study found that people with severe speaking difficulties pay more attention to hand gestures when their verbal communication is impeded. This highlights the importance of incorporating gestures into therapy for individuals with aphasia.
Researchers have developed a gene therapy that appears to correct a rare creatine deficiency disorder by increasing creatine levels and reducing toxic guanidinoacetic acid. This could hold promise for treating the disorder, which commonly results in intellectual disabilities and seizures.
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that frontotemporal dementia patients with extrapyramidal symptoms have significant brainstem atrophy and reduced metabolism, facilitating differential diagnostics for FTD. This can help distinguish between FTD and other diseases causing extrapyramidal symptoms.
Post-surgery patients exhibit moderate speech disorders affecting all language processing aspects, whereas post-stroke patients display specific phonological deficits. Understanding these differences is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
A study of 383 extremely preterm babies found that most had neurodevelopmental disorders and/or other diagnoses during childhood. The children were referred for habilitation services and had a range of additional diagnoses, including asthma and short stature.
A research team at UNIGE and HUG has identified signals produced by the brain when people speak to themselves, offering a breakthrough in treating speech disorders. The study found that low frequencies and coupling between certain frequencies contain essential information for decoding imagined speech.
Researchers at HSE University have created a new, standardized test battery to diagnose language disorders in people with brain damage. The test, the first of its kind in Russia, has been validated through large-scale data collection and uses modern neurolinguistic models.
Researchers discovered that frequency-following responses to speech sounds are highly conserved across species, including monkeys, guinea pigs and humans. This finding could lead to the development of specific markers for speech impairments and improve clinical diagnostics.
A new study comparing pitch and duration imitations in speech and song has found that autistic individuals perform differently in two categories: relative pitch and absolute pitch. Autistic children and adults showed better performance with relative pitch, while struggling with absolute pitch across both domains.
Research by Colette Feehan suggests that voice actors' unique vocalizations can help speech pathologists better understand the muscles involved in creating words and sounds. This knowledge could lead to alternative pronunciations for individuals with speech difficulties, such as those with lost muscle tone due to a stroke or cancer.
A nutritional supplement, IQed Smart Nutrition, has been found to improve expressive speech and communication skills for people with autism, apraxia, and ADHD. The supplement reported improvements in 83.8% of respondents, with the highest observed improvement being 88.1% in vocalizations.
A virtual study using AI technology is evaluating speech disorders related to Parkinson's disease, aiming to improve assessment and treatment options. The study aims to provide insights into standardization, earlier diagnoses, and tracking discrete changes to guide interventions.
Researchers discovered that cortical representations of new words form in just 1-2 hours after exposure, suggesting a faster-than-thought process. This finding has implications for diagnosing speech disorders and improving language learning efficiency.
The study found that asthma was significantly more common among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and vision, hearing, or speech delays. Children with these conditions were nearly twice as likely to have asthma compared to their non-disabled peers.
Researchers have discovered nine new genes linked to apraxia, a debilitating speech disorder in children. The genetic variations, which are not inherited, affect the brain's language processing mechanisms.
A new multi-sensor tool tracks subtle changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, allowing for more frequent and quick assessments of disease status and progression. The device, which takes less than five minutes to use, uses a combination of sensors to capture MS-related disability and advancement.
Researchers discovered that the left hemisphere gauges sound changes in time, while the right is more attuned to frequency changes, resulting in alterations in pitch. This finding offers new insights into speech processing and could lead to improved diagnostic and treatment tools for language disorders.