Poster Session #1: UC Ballroom
Brain activity preceding speech initiation
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Al Yonovitz
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Abstract / Artist's Statement
The purpose of this research is to find a consistent brain derived morphological waveform that represents the electrical signal responsible for the initiation of a speech gesture. It is hypothesized that there is a repeatable waveform that can be measured when the brain sends a neural signal to the speech mechanism. Given successful results within this research investigation, there are many possible clinical implications, including the treatment and increased knowledge of apraxia, stuttering, and other speech disorders. The subject group consists of three females and three males from the Communicative Sciences and Disorders department. Electrodes will be placed on the subject’s scalp and connected to an EEG, which measures and records electrical activity from the brain. Additionally, electrodes on the upper lip provide electromyographic (EMG) signals, which measures electrical activity of muscles. Respiratory measurements as well as a measurement of the subject’s eye movement will also take place to eliminate artifact. The EMG measures at the lip will be the reference point for the initiation of the speech gesture. A comparison will also be made from the EMG to the use of the speech signal as the reference point. The subject will be asked to repeat a VCV (Vowel, Consonant, Vowel) word such as /apa/ and the contraction of the muscle at the /p/ will be considered the commencement of the speech gesture. Averaging these waveforms allow a specific pattern within the data to emerge. If the pattern is present across multiple subjects, then the hypothesis is supported.
Brain activity preceding speech initiation
UC Ballroom
The purpose of this research is to find a consistent brain derived morphological waveform that represents the electrical signal responsible for the initiation of a speech gesture. It is hypothesized that there is a repeatable waveform that can be measured when the brain sends a neural signal to the speech mechanism. Given successful results within this research investigation, there are many possible clinical implications, including the treatment and increased knowledge of apraxia, stuttering, and other speech disorders. The subject group consists of three females and three males from the Communicative Sciences and Disorders department. Electrodes will be placed on the subject’s scalp and connected to an EEG, which measures and records electrical activity from the brain. Additionally, electrodes on the upper lip provide electromyographic (EMG) signals, which measures electrical activity of muscles. Respiratory measurements as well as a measurement of the subject’s eye movement will also take place to eliminate artifact. The EMG measures at the lip will be the reference point for the initiation of the speech gesture. A comparison will also be made from the EMG to the use of the speech signal as the reference point. The subject will be asked to repeat a VCV (Vowel, Consonant, Vowel) word such as /apa/ and the contraction of the muscle at the /p/ will be considered the commencement of the speech gesture. Averaging these waveforms allow a specific pattern within the data to emerge. If the pattern is present across multiple subjects, then the hypothesis is supported.