Pre-speech tongue movements and verbal reaction times in acquired apraxia of speech

发音困难是获得性言语失用症（acquired apraxia of speech，AOS）的主要特征之一，但很少有研究探讨发音困难前的语言运动。对对照人群的言语反应时间的研究表明，舌运动在声学开始之前的一段时间开始，并且反应时间（RT）-发音开始与声学开始之间的间隔-受到语音因素和语音准备过程（如吸气）的影响。由于扬声器与AOS经常使“摸索”的发音和沉默的姿态之前，产生可听的讲话，试图通过正确的发音配置，它很可能是RT在这个人口中的强烈影响，讲话前的语言活动。本项目建议使用超声舌成像和声学分析来研究这种关系以及AOS中语音计时的更广泛影响。

Difficulty in initiating utterances is one of the main characteristics of acquired apraxia of speech (AOS), yet few studies of the disorder have examined the lingual movements that occur prior to the acoustic onset. Research into verbal reaction time in a control population shows that lingual movement commences some time before the acoustic onset, and that the reaction time (RT) - the interval between the onset of articulation and the acoustic onset - is influenced by phonetic factors and speech preparation processes such as inhalation. Since speakers with AOS frequently make "groping" articulations and silent posturing prior to producing audible speech in an attempt to adopt the correct articulatory configuration, it is likely that RT in this population is strongly influenced by pre-speech lingual activity. This project proposes to examine this relationship and the wider implications for speech timing in AOS, using ultrasound tongue imaging and acoustic analysis.