Articulatory Function Research Articles

Articulatory Function After Resection of the Tongue and Floor of the Mouth

Linguapalatal contact patterns and the time course of changes in contacts during utterances of/asa, ata, a sa, aca/ were measured using electropalatography (EPG). The relations between these data and perceptual scores in 17 glossectomized patients after various surgical methods were examined. The linguapalatal contact patterns produced during perceptually less distorted sounds varied with the place and manner of articulation. Patterns having very few contacts or a posterior groove produced more distorted /s/ sounds; however, types of EPG patterns producing less distorted /s/ sounds were relatively frequent. Distortion of the and /c/ sounds was less often produced by variation of the EPG patterns, whereas /t/ sounds were most frequently judged to be highly distorted. Patterns that showed complete constriction along the dental arch or constriction on the anterior portion of the hard palate, as well as rapid release for plosion by the tongue tip, produced less distorted /t/ sounds. The results revealed that glossectomized patients often evidenced defective stop sounds. It was concluded that mobility rather than volume of the residual tongue is required to produce less distorted stops.

Weaning and the histology of the mandibular condyle in the rat.

Eighty-eight Long Evans/Turku rats were used in the study. The effect of the articulatory function on the mandibular condyle was observed histologically during normal growth, when the rat is changing its diet from milk to whole pellets as a part of weaning. Six animals each were killed at the age of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days for histological tissue processing. For further information, 30 animals were fed a soft diet (6 animals each were killed at the age of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days), and 10 animals were fed hardened pellets (2 animals each were killed at the ages of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days). An even and regular transition from mesenchymal cells via immature chondroblasts into mature chondroblasts and hypertrophied chondrocytes was found at 10, 15 and 20 days during normal growth and also at 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days when animals were fed a soft diet. This maturing process appeared to be disturbed at the age of 25, 30, 35 and 40 days in the superior aspect of the condyle in animals fed ordinary pellets. The density of the mesenchymal cell layer was decreased, and the amount of intercellular matrix seemed to be evaluated in mesenchymal and intermediate cell layers. These features were later manifest deeper in the cartilage as acellular regions and as cell clusters. The changes were similar but more severe when the animals were fed hardened pellets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

マイクロコンピュータを用いた音響分析による構音機能の評価の試み 遊離前腕皮弁による舌口底再建の１症例について

マイクロコンピュータを用いた音響分析による構音機能の評価の試み 遊離前腕皮弁による舌口底再建の１症例について

再建中咽頭の構音機能評価 前腕皮弁を用いた症例について

Soft palate and tonsil (mesopharynx) play an important role on articulation and swallowing. We must take care not to restrict these physiological function when we reconstruct the mesopharyngeal defect after cancer ablation. In order not to restrict the postoperative function of mesopharynx, we take it the more important to preserve the function of the residual tissue rather than to rebuild the lost function. We took notice of pliable nature of the radial forearm flap and tried to reconstruct mesopharyngeal defect in five cases with this flap. We analyzed articulatory function and velopharyngeal closure in these cases, postoperatively. Articulatory function was assessed on the results of intelligibility test with 100 Japanese monosyllables. In four cases out of five, about 70% of syllables were accurately heard. According to the Hirose's standard of speech function after the operation of oral and/or oropharyngeal cancer, those four cases were evaluated also to be excellent. Whether the resection was done beyond the uvula or not, proved not to have anything to do with the postoperative speech intelligibility. Although speech intelligibility once went down immediately after the operation, it improved around six months later. The improvement might be due to the following facts; The forearm flap was cicatrized postoperatively, disturbing the mobility. After the softening of the cicatrix began, the flap gradually recovered flexibility, which enabled surrounding structure to move more smoothly. Articulatory dysfunction was characterized as plosives tend to be misunderstood as nasals or affricates. Concerning nasality, the velopharyngeal closure was examined by fiberscope. Perfect closure was seen in two cases, near-perfect in two cases, and insufficient in one case.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

調音機能と補綴物との関係 実験的口蓋床が発音中の表情筋筋放電活動および舌圧に及ぼす経日的変化様相

調音機能と補綴物との関係 実験的口蓋床が発音中の表情筋筋放電活動および舌圧に及ぼす経日的変化様相

調音機能と補綴物との関係 ＩＩ‐１． 実験的口蓋床が発音前の内舌筋筋放電活動，舌運動および下顎運動に及ぼす経日的変化様相

As the first step of evaluating the kinematic function and the coordinative movement among articulatory organs, attention was focused on the palatal form in various factors related to the function of pronunciation on complete denture. After the experimental palatal plate was inserted into 13 natural dentitions in the age ranging from 21-24 years old, muscular discharge of intrinsic muscles, tongue movement and mandibular movement before pronunciation were recorded longitudinally. These data were comparatively evaluated with those before insertion of the experimental palatal plate, and the following conclusion were obtained. It has been made clear in this study that from the change of muscular discharge of intrinsic muscles, tongue movement and mandibular movement before pronunciation between before and after the insertion of the experimental palatal plate, correction aspect of the kinematic function and the coordinative movement among articulatory organs varied with point and method of articulation on each sound. And these facts suggested that it was necessary to diagnose and treat under consideration of the relation between the palatal form and articulatory function of tongue and mandible in removable prosthodontic treatment.

Articulatory function following treatments for carcinoma of the tongue

Articulatory function following treatments for carcinoma of the tongue

舌・口底切除後の語音発語明瞭度 切除範囲および手術法との関連について

The relation between the surgical excisions or operation methods and speech intelligibility was investigated on 22 glossectomees (11 underwent direct suture, 4 received split-skin grafts and 7 received reconstruction with the free radial forearm flap).Articultory function after glossectomy was assessed mainly by using 100 Japanese syllable speech intelligibility test.Our results are summarized as follows;1. Speech intelligibility after glossectomy is related to the extent of resected tongue tissue.2. According to glossal sounds, subjects with more than half of the tongue resected showed low intelligibility scores for sounds produced with the rear portion of the tongue.3. The glossectomees showed improvement in speech intelligibility for about six months after their operation, reaching a plateau thereafter. According to glossal sounds, speech intelligibility of the sounds produced with the rear portion of the tongue showed remarkable improvement.4. Comparing the surgical methods among subjects with the same extent of resection, higher speech intelligibility was observed in those treated with split-skin graft and free radial forearm flap reconstruction than in those treated by direct suture.5. Free radial forearm flap reconstruction has the advantage of high speech intelligibility scores for the sounds produced with the rear portion of the tongue and for plosive sounds.6. Articulatory function after glossectomy was observed to be influenced more by flexibility of the remaining tongue tissue than by its volume. Therefore, operation methods of preserving the tip of the tongue and conserving the mobility of the rear portion of the tongue should be selected for minimizing post glossectomy speech disorders.

下顎前歯部排列位置の変化が発音に及ぼす影響

The oral cavity with such articulatory organs as the lips, tongue, uvula, and soft palate which are very versatile in mobility plays an important role of articulatory function in producing various sounds by changing their forms. When many teeth are lost by surgery or periodontosis, it is well known by experience that the articulatory function of the oral cavity is greatly impaired and speech impediment is induced. In practice in prosthodontics, therefore, it is very important to restore the articulatory function, as well as esthetic and occlusion, by carrying out a prosthetic treatment at the region with a tooth-loss. In view of the articulatory function, it is important to examine the relation between artificial tooth position and articulation. Four types of experimental dentures with over bite and over jet varied were therefore prepared for the cases of a tooth-loss at the lower anterior region. Five syllables of "S" followed by a vowel in Japanese (Sa, Si, Su, Se, So) were designated as the target syllables and analyses of "S" position on Mandibular Kinesiograph and of the voice on a sound spectrograph were made. Then, the effect of the changes in the artificial tooth position in the lower anterior tooth region on articulation was examined in detail. The results were as follows : 1. With the standard-type experimental denture with over bite at 2mm and over jet at 2mm, no positional changes in the anteroposterior "S" position were found in any of the "S" syllables. 2. The up-down "S" positions differed among the target syllables. The positions for "So" showed the greatest difference in comparison with other syllables. 3. The effect of increase in over jet on the anteroposterior "S" position was greater in comparison with the up-down "S" position, and the anteroposterior "S" position tended to be displaced forward. However, with the experimental denture with over bite at 4mm and over jet at 6mm, the tendency toward forward displacement of the anteroposterior "S" position decreased. 4. The effect of increase in over jet on the up-down "S" position was rather small, and no fixed patterns were seen in the displacement direction of the up-down "S" position. 5. The consonant duration differed among the target syllables. It was comparatively long for "Si" and "Su" and was the shortest for "Sa". 6. The effect of the artificial tooth position in the lower anterior region on the consonant duration was small. 7. The average amplitude differed among the target syllables. It was comparatively large for "Si" and "Su" and was the smallest for "Sa". 8. The effect of increase in over jet on the average amplitude was very marked. Although the average amplitude showed a decreasing tendency, the experimental denture with over bite at 4mm and over jet at 6mm, showed a decline in the rate of decrease. 9. Analyses of frequency showed that the energy level tended to decline in the hlgh frequency range form 4, 500∿5, 000Hz to 9, 500∿10, 000Hz for all target syllables of "S" with an increase in over jet. However with the experimental denture with over bite at 4mm and over jet at 6mm, the declining tendency of energy level decreased.

運動失調性構音障害における右第３前頭回脚部（右Ｂｒｏｃａ中枢）病変の役割

We observed ataxic dysarthria in one of two right-handed patients who had a localized lesion due to cerebral infarction in the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus in the right hemisphere (right Broca's area). Patient 1, a forty-two-year-old right handed female suddenly started having dysarthria. Eval uation of her speech revealed that she had typical ataxic dysarthria. CT scan and NMR showed separate lesions in the right Broca's area and in the right upper cerebellum. Patient 2, a sixty-one-year-old right-handed male suddenly started having left hemiparseis. He showed no speech disturbance in clinical examination. CT scan and NMR showed independent lesions in the right Broca's area and in the left middle frontal gyrus. As observed in patient 2, a lesion localized in the right Broca's area doesn't always cause dysarthria, while combined lesions in the right Broca's area and in the right upper cerebellum appear to cause ataxic speech, as seen in patient 1. These findings suggest that the right Broca's area plays a certain role in articulatory function. This assumption is supported by the anatomical fact that the frontal lobe and cerebellum have firm connections.

Articulatory Function Following Treatments for Carcinoma of the Tongue

Articulatory Function Following Treatments for Carcinoma of the Tongue

Articulatory examination following the surgical treatments of carcinoma of the tongue--a proposal of an utterance list consisting of 25 monosyllables

The utterance intelligibility test should quantitatively evaluate the postoperative articulatory function of the patients with carcinoma of the tongue. The authors propose a new list consisting of only 25 monosyllables for an appropriate use in everyday clinics. The selection of the monosyllables was performed taking account of the following points:1) The results of the intelligibility test using the new list should highly correlate to those using the conventional list consist of 100 monosyllables.2) The results of the test should reflect well the postoperative articulatory disorders.3) The list should include monosyllables which appear frequently in daily conversation.

Some acoustic characteristics of Parkinsonian dysarthria

The early stages of Parkinsonian dysarthria are often thought to be characterized primarily by laryngeal dysfunction, whereas in later stages a progressive deterioration of supraglottal articulatory function is observed. Most previous analyses of Parkinsonian dysarthria have employed phonetic transcription as a descriptive device, but a few recent papers [e.g., Tatsumi et al., Ann. Bull. RILP 13, 99–104(1979); Kent and Rosenbek, Brain Lang. 15, 259–292 (1982)] have reported some more objective data based on acoustic measures. In the present study, we analyze acoustically the temporal structure of sentence recitations produced by ten Parkinsonian dysarthrics. These data are compared to existing data sets for the same utterances produced by normal young adults and geriatrics. Results indicate that the temporal characteristics of the Parkinsonian sentence recitations are only subtly different from those of young adults and geriatrics. However, the spontaneous speech of the Parkinson's patients have clearly aberrant temporal structures. The findings are discussed relative to the general pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. [Work supported by NIH Program Project NS 13274.]

Interaction of sensory feedback: a child-adult comparison of oral sensory and temporal articulatory function.

Recent studies have demonstrated a systematic increase in lingual sensory thresholds and a temporal articulatory reorganization in subjects speaking under exposure to auditory masking. These data suggest that auditory and lingual sensory feedback systems exist in a balanced interaction specific to the oral articulations involved in speech production. The present study attempted to gain additional information on this proposed interaction. Lingual sensory and temporal articulatory measurements were obtained from 10 adults and 10 children under each of four feedback conditions: (1) normal feedback, (2) exposure to binaural auditory masking during speech, (3) topical application of anesthesia to the lingual dorsum prior to speech, and (4) combined masking and anesthesia. Analysis indicated that children had lower lingual sensory thresholds than adults in all conditions and that they were more susceptible to the disruption of auditory feedback. Also, measurements of durations of vowels indicated no age-related differences with durations in both groups increasing when auditory feedback was impaired.

Effect of L-dopa on speech in Parkinsonism. An EMG study of labial articulatory function.

The articulatory function of the labial musculature has been investigated electromyographically before and after treatment with l-dopa in patients with Parkinsonism who had dysarthria. Before medication the EMG traces generally showed a constant, abnormally increased, tonic activity, together with disturbed reciprocal innervation, which impaired the articulatory activity. After medication the tonic hyperactivity was reduced and the reciprocal innervation re-established. This normalization of the EMG articulatory pattern was paralleled by an improvement of the dysarthria.