Acoustic Measures of Voice and Physiologic Measures of Autonomic Arousal during Speech as a Function of Cognitive Load

MacPherson, Megan K; Abur, Defne; Stepp, Cara E.

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.10.021

Cited by 43 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Moreover, the acoustic structure of speech is also influenced by arousal levels (52). For example, during speech produced under increased cognitive load, humans show heightened autonomic arousal, which correlates with changes in voice quality (51). Our findings with marmoset monkey vocal production are thus consistent with what is known about human speech production.…”

supporting

confidence: 86%

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Internal states and extrinsic factors both determine monkey vocal production

Liao

Zhang

Cai

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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A key question for understanding speech evolution is whether or not the vocalizations of our closest living relatives-nonhuman primates-represent the precursors to speech. Some believe that primate vocalizations are not volitional but are instead inextricably linked to internal states like arousal and thus bear little resemblance to human speech. Others disagree and believe that since many primates can use their vocalizations strategically, this demonstrates a degree of voluntary vocal control. In the current study, we present a behavioral paradigm that reliably elicits different types of affiliative vocalizations from marmoset monkeys while measuring their heart rate fluctuations using noninvasive electromyography. By modulating both the physical distance between marmosets and the sensory information available to them, we find that arousal levels are linked, but not inextricably, to vocal production. Different arousal levels are, generally, associated with changes in vocal acoustics and the drive to produce different call types. However, in contexts where marmosets are interacting, the production of these different call types is also affected by extrinsic factors such as the timing of a conspecific's vocalization. These findings suggest that variability in vocal output as a function of context might reflect trade-offs between the drive to perpetuate vocal contact and conserving energy.

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supporting

confidence: 86%

“…to physiologically measured arousal states (49)(50)(51). Moreover, the acoustic structure of speech is also influenced by arousal levels (52).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Internal states and extrinsic factors both determine monkey vocal production

Liao

Zhang

Cai

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…They found that the Stroop speaking condition was associated with increased SNS activity and higher speech coordination variability in school-age children and adults. In their study of the effects of arousal on SNS and voice indices, MacPherson et al (2017) also used a Stroop speaking condition to increase arousal levels in healthy adults. They observed increased SCR amplitudes concomitant with changes in acoustic measures of voice under higher cognitive load.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sympathetic Nervous System Activity in Preschoolers Who Stutter

Walsh

Smith

Christ

et al. 2019

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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BackgroundIn our Dynamic Pathways, account, we hypothesized that childhood stuttering reflects an impairment in speech sensorimotor control that is conditioned by cognitive, linguistic, and emotional factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential differences in levels of sympathetic arousal during performance of speech and non-speech tasks between children who do and do not stutter.MethodsSeventy-two preschool-aged children participated in the study, 47 children who stutter (CWS; 38 boys) and 25 children who do not stutter (CWNS; 18 boys). We recorded skin conductance and blood pulse volume (BPV) signals, indices of sympathetic arousal, during higher/lower load speech tasks (structured sentence production and picture description) and non-speech tasks (jaw wagging and forceful blowing). We included a measure that reflects children’s attitudes about their communication skills and a parent-report assessment of temperament.ResultsWe found no significant differences between preschool CWS and CWNS in phasic skin conductance response amplitude or frequency, BPV, and pulse rate for any of the experimental tasks. However, compared to CWNS, CWS had, on average, significantly higher skin conductance levels (SCL), indexing slowly changing tonic sympathetic activity, across both speech and non-speech experimental conditions. We found distinctive task-related profiles of sympathetic arousal in both groups of preschool children. Most children produced the highest levels of sympathetic arousal in the physically demanding blowing task rather than in speech, as seen in previous studies of adults. We did not find differences in temperament between the two groups of preschool children nor a relationship among behavioral indices of temperament and communication attitude and physiological measures of sympathetic arousal.ConclusionWe did not find that atypically high, speech-related sympathetic arousal is a significant factor in early childhood stuttering. Rather, CWS had higher, on average, task-related tonic SCLs across speech and non-speech tasks. A relationship among behavioral measures of temperament and physiological measures of sympathetic arousal was not confirmed. Key questions for future experiments are how the typical coupling of sympathetic and speech sensorimotor systems develops over childhood and adolescence and whether task related developmental profiles follow a different course in children who continue to stutter.

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“…They found that the Stroop speaking condition was associated with ANS arousal, evidenced by increases in skin conductance and heart rate and reduced BPV, and decreased coordination of articulatory coupling during sentence production. In a recent study of the effects of autonomic arousal on voice production in 16 healthy young adults, MacPherson, Abur, and Stepp (2017) found a significant relationship between skin conductance measures and acoustic phonatory parameters under increased cognitive load (also elicited by a Stroop task). Furthermore, Tolkmitt and Scherer (1986) noted that the effects of stress on phonatory and articulatory measures were significantly greater in participants who self-reported being more susceptible to stress.…”

Section: Effects Of Sns Arousal On Speech and Other Motor Behaviorsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Physiological Correlates of Fluent and Stuttered Speech Production in Preschool Children Who Stutter

Walsh

Usler

2019

J Speech Lang Hear Res

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Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare physiological indices of sympathetic nervous system arousal recorded during fluent and stuttered utterances in a preschool children who stutter (CWS). Method Twenty-two 4- to 5-year-old CWS participated in the experiment. We recorded children's skin conductance response amplitude and frequency, blood pulse volume amplitude, and pulse rate as they completed a picture description task. We then compared indices of phasic sympathetic arousal recorded during stuttered versus fluent utterances. In addition, children's communication attitudes were evaluated with a self-report measure. Results We detected significantly higher sympathetic arousal during stuttered utterances compared to fluent utterances. Specifically, we found larger skin conductance responses occurring at an increased frequency and decreased blood pulse volume amplitudes during stuttered speech. The behavioral measure indicated a negative communication attitude in only one-third of the participants. Conclusion Our findings suggest that preschool CWS may exhibit higher levels of sympathetic arousal during stuttered speech compared to when they are speaking fluently. We discuss the potential impact of increased sympathetic arousal on speech regulatory mechanisms in early childhood stuttering and present questions to guide future research.

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Acoustic Measures of Voice and Physiologic Measures of Autonomic Arousal during Speech as a Function of Cognitive Load

Cited by 43 publications

References 77 publications

Internal states and extrinsic factors both determine monkey vocal production

Internal states and extrinsic factors both determine monkey vocal production

Sympathetic Nervous System Activity in Preschoolers Who Stutter

Physiological Correlates of Fluent and Stuttered Speech Production in Preschool Children Who Stutter

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