Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Early Uneven Ear Input Induces Long-Lasting Differences In Left-Right Motor Function, Michelle W. Antoine, Xiaoxia Zhu, Marianne Dieterich, Thomas Brandt, Sarath Vijayakumar, Nicholas Mckeehan, Joseph C. Arezzo, R. Suzanne Zukin, David A. Borkholder, Sherri M. Jones, Robert D. Frisina, Jean M. Hébert

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

How asymmetries in motor behavior become established normally or atypically in mammals remains unclear. An established model for motor asymmetry that is conserved across mammals can be obtained by experimentally inducing asymmetric striatal dopamine activity. However, the factors that can cause motor asymmetries in the absence of experimental manipulations to the brain remain unknown. Here, we show that mice with inner ear dysfunction display a robust left or right rotational preference, and this motor preference reflects an atypical asymmetry in cortico-striatal neurotransmission. By unilaterally targeting striatal activity with an antagonist of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), a downstream integrator of striatal …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Microtia On Family's Decision Process, Alexandra Puatu

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

One in every 10,000 live births result in a facial anomaly called microtia, which affects the outer, visible part of the ear. This can have varying levels of severity, ranging from a smaller than average ear size (type one) to the complete absence of any external ear (type four). Families are presented with three options: surgery, hearing aids, or to allow the child to continue developing with no technological help. When families are presented with these options, the process tends to be stressful because of the added, unexpected decisions needed to be made on a family with a new member. …

Saliva Production And Enjoyment Of Real-Food Flavors In People With And Without Dysphagia And/Or Xerostomia, Angela M. Dietsch, Cathy A. Pelletier, Nancy Pearl Solomon

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Non-food gustatory stimulation has multiple potential therapeutic benefits for people with dysphagia and xerostomia. This study examined palatability and saliva flow associated with dissolvable flavored films. Taste strips with real-food flavors dissolved on the tongues of 21 persons with dysphagia and/or xerostomia and 21 healthy age- and sex-matched adults while sublingual gauze pads absorbed saliva over randomized 3-min trials. Participants rated taste enjoyment for each trial on a hedonic general labeled magnitude scale. Flavored strips elicited more saliva than baseline for both groups, and production was higher for controls than patients (M = 2.386 and 1.091 g, respectively; p …

A Rapid, Handheld Device To Assess Respiratory Resistance: Clinical And Normative Evidence, Aaron B. Holley, Wesley D. Boose, Michael Perkins, Karen L. Sheikh, Nancy P. Solomon, Angela M. Dietsch, Jafar Vossoughi, Arthur T. Johnson, Jacob F. Collen

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Following reports of respiratory symptoms among service members returning from deployment to South West Asia (SWA), an expert panel recommended pre-deployment spirometry be used to assess disease burden. Unfortunately, testing with spirometry is high cost and time-consuming. The airflow perturbation device (APD) is a handheld monitor that rapidly measures respiratory resistance (APD-R_r) and has promising but limited clinical data. Its speed and portability make it ideally suited for large volume pre-deployment screening. We conducted a pilot study to assess APD performance characteristics and develop normative values.

Materials and Methods: We prospectively enrolled subjects and derived …

My Client Knows That He’S About To Stutter: How Can We Address Stuttering Anticipation During Therapy With Young People Who Stutter?, Eric S. Jackson, Hope Gerlach, Naomi H. Rodgers, Patricia M. Zebrowski

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Stuttering anticipation is endorsed by many people who stutter as a core aspect of the stuttering experience. Anticipation is primarily a covert phenomenon and people who stutter respond to anticipation in a variety of ways. At the same time as anticipation occurs and develops internally, for many individuals the “knowing” or “feeling” that they are about to stutter is a primary contributor to the chronicity of the disorder. In this article, we offer a roadmap for both understanding the phenomenon of anticipation and its relevance to stuttering development. We introduce the Stuttering Anticipation Scale (SAS)—a 25-item clinical tool that can …

Swallowing Mechanics Associated With Artificial Airways, Bolus Properties, And Penetration–Aspiration Status In Trauma Patients, Angela M. Dietsch, Christopher B. Rowley, Nancy Pearl Solomon, William G. Pearson Jr.

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: Artificial airway procedures such as intubation and tracheotomy are common in the treatment of traumatic injuries, and bolus modifications may be implemented to help manage swallowing disorders. This study assessed artificial airway status, bolus properties (volume and viscosity), and the occurrence of laryngeal penetration and/or aspiration in relation to mechanical features of swallowing.

Method: Coordinates of anatomical landmarks were extracted at minimum and maximum hyolaryngeal excursion from 228 videofluoroscopic swallowing studies representing 69 traumatically injured U.S. military service members with dysphagia. Morphometric canonical variate and regression analyses examined associations between swallowing mechanics and bolus properties based on …

A Preliminary Study Of A Spanish Graphic Novella Targeting Hearing Loss Prevention, Mark Guiberson, Emily Wakefield

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: This preliminary study developed a digital graphic novella targeting hearing protection beliefs of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers. Researchers used pretest–posttest interview surveys to establish if the novella had an immediate influence on the participants’ beliefs about noise-induced hearing loss and usage of hearing protection devices.

Method: Researchers developed a digital graphic novella directed to increase knowledge about noise-induced hearing loss and increase the proper use of hearing protection devices. The novella was tailored to meet the specific linguistic and literacy needs of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers. Thirty-one Spanish-speaking farmworkers of Mexican nationality participated. This study included an interview survey with specific …

Assessment With Children Who Need Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac): Clinical Decisions Of Aac Specialists, Shelley Lund, Wendy Quach, Kristy S. E. Weissling, Miechelle L. Mckelvey, Aimee R. Dietz

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) specialists approach the assessment process for 2 case studies, 1 child with cerebral palsy and 1 with autism spectrum disorder. The aim of the study was to answer the following questions: (a) How do clinicians with expertise approach the AAC assessment process for children with developmental disabilities? (b) Can any initial hypothesis be drawn about how SLPs approach the assessment of children with motor versus social interactive deficits?

Method

This study used a phenomenological qualitative design. The researchers conducted 2 …

The Effect Of Frequency Resolution On Intelligibility Sentence And Its Relevance To Cochlear Implant Design, Seth H. Roy

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study is to understand how electrical stimulation (as opposed to acoustical stimulation) of the auditory nerve is used in cochlear implants. Speech is a complex signal that changes rapidly in time and frequency domains. Since phonemes (the smallest unit of speech that distinguishes words) depend on nuanced differences in frequency patterns, it would be expected that a signal with drastically reduced frequency information would be of limited value for conveying speech. Such a frequency-poor signal is the object to be investigated in the present work. It is also the basis of the way speech is represented …

Neural Control Of Tongue Movements Across Effort Levels, Megan Rovang, Angela M. Dietsch

UCARE: Research Products

Background

A hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a mismatch between the perceived effort and actual forces exerted during functional activities such as speech. Current evidence supports therapy to help reset this perception of effort, but the neurological underpinnings of such treatments are unclear. This study examined brain activity during tongue movements performed at varying levels of effort to determine (1) which brain areas are involved in each task, and (2) which areas, if any, scale in activation according to effort level. These results, considered with the neurological changes associated with PD, can be used to develop and refine treatment …

Effect Of Taste Stimuli On Swallowing Function In Persons With Traumatic Injuries, Megan Asselin, Angela M. Dietsch

UCARE: Research Products

Background

Swallowing disorders are prevalent and costly. As of now, there are limited therapeutic options available to treat them. Extant research in limited populations has suggested that swallowing mechanics can be improved by extremely sour liquids, but this has not been tested in traumatically injured populations. However, sour tastants are unpleasant, and more palatable taste mixtures have not been tested.

Methods

The quantitative data were extracted from an existing pool of de-identified video fluoroscopic swallowing studies (moving radiographs) obtained from traumatically injured young adults under another research protocol. Each participant completed swallows of custom-mixed plain, sour, and sweet-sour boluses. Positions …

A History Of The Audiology Program At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln: 1920 To 2015, T. Newell Decker

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Programs for the hearing impaired have been in existence at the University of Nebraska for many years. However, there is no comprehensive history of these efforts. This work is an attempt to provide a complete picture of these programs and to detail the history and growth of the Audiology Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. When the author came to the University in 1977 audiology was already well established at the University as well as in the State. After joining the faculty, the author served in the capacity of Coordinator of the Audiology and Hearing Science Program from 1977 until …

Annexin A5 Is The Most Abundant Membrane-Associated Protein In Stereocilia But Is Dispensable For Hair-Bundle Development And Function, Jocelyn F. Krey, Meghan Drummond, Sarah Foster, Edward Porsov, Sarath Vijayakumar, Dongseok Choi, Karen Friderici, Sherri M. Jones, Alfred L. Nuttall, Peter G. Barr-Gillespie

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The phospholipid- and Ca²⁺-binding protein annexin A5 (ANXA5) is the most abundant membrane-associated protein of ~P23 mouse vestibular hair bundles, the inner ear’s sensory organelle. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we estimated that ANXA5 accounts for ~15,000 copies per stereocilium, or ~2% of the total protein there. Although seven other annexin genes are expressed in mouse utricles, mass spectrometry showed that none were present at levels near ANXA5 in bundles and none were upregulated in stereocilia of Anxa5^−/− mice. Annexins have been proposed to mediate Ca²⁺-dependent repair of membrane lesions, which could be part of the …

Prediction Of Communication Risk Before 12 Months With The Iscbs: Group Outcomes At 3 Years, Kristi Leutzinger, Maggie Steinhauser, Emma Fleisher

UCARE: Research Products

This study reports communication outcomes of typically developing infants given the Infant Social and Communication Behavior Scales (ISCBS) at 2-12 months. Results indicate patterns of infant behaviors on the ISCBS that differed between infants who later demonstrated language impairments or autism at age three years from those who did not.

Exploring Oculomotor Trends In Collegiate Athletes, Brett Whorley, Julie A. Honaker

UCARE: Research Products

Collaborative efforts to improve athlete safety without significantly hindering the rules of the games aim to develop a novel system to better measure and diagnose concussions. Provided that common signs of concussions include blurred vision, distant gaze, and dizziness, the Dizziness and Balance Disorders Lab at UNL believes that the simple oculomotor exam studied in this project may be applied to this procedure. Within the broader goal to better understand the causes, signs, symptoms, and prognosis of concussions, researchers desired to further investigate the results of this oculomotor test. The aim was to identify and interpret correlations between collegiate athlete …

Dysphagia Management And Research In An Acute-Care Military Treatment Facility: The Role Of Applied Informatics, Nancy Pearl Solomon, Angela M. Dietsch, Katie E. Dietrich-Burns, Edda L. Styrmisdottir, Christopher S. Armao

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: This report describes the development and preliminary analysis of a database for traumatically injured military service members with dysphagia.

Methods: A multidimensional database was developed to capture clinical variables related to swallowing. Data were derived from clinical records and instrumental swallow studies, and ranged from demographics, injury characteristics, swallowing biomechanics, medications, and standardized tools (e.g.. Glasgow Coma Scale, Penetration-Aspiration Scale). Bayesian Belief Network modeling was used to analyze the data at intermediate points, guide data collection, and predict outcomes. Predictive models were validated with independent data via receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results: The first iteration of …

Differential Effects Of Cdh23753a On Auditory And Vestibular Functional Aging In C57bl/6j Mice, Bruce E. Mock, Sarath Vijayakumar, Jessica Pierce, Timothy A. Jones, Sherri M. Jones

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The C57BL/6J (B6) mouse strain carries a cadherin 23 mutation (Cdh23^753A, also known as Ahl), which affects inner ear structures and results in age-related hearing loss. The B6.CAST strain harbors the wild type Cdh23 gene, and hence, the influence of Ahl is absent. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the effect of age and gender on gravity receptor function in B6 and B6.CAST strains and to compare functional aging between auditory and vestibular modalities. Auditory sensitivity declined at significantly faster rates than gravity receptor sensitivity for both strains. Indeed, vestibular functional aging was …

Using Visual Scene Displays As Communication Support Options For People With Chronic, Severe Aphasia: A Summary Of Aac Research And Future Research Directions, David R. Beukelman, Karen Hux, Aimee R. Dietz, Miechelle L. Mckelvey, Kristy S.E. Weissling

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Research about the effectiveness of communicative supports and advances in photographic technology has prompted changes in the way speech-language pathologists design and implement interventions for people with aphasia. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of photographic images as a basis for developing communication supports for people with chronic aphasia secondary to sudden-onset events due to cerebrovascular accidents (strokes). Topics include the evolution of AAC-based supports as they relate to people with aphasia, the development and key features of visual scene displays (VSDs), and future directions concerning the incorporation of photographs into communication supports for people with …

Supporting Narrative Retells For People With Aphasia Using Augmentative And Alternative Communication: Photographs Or Line Drawings? Text Or No Text?, Julie Griffith, Aimee R. Dietz, Kristy S.E. Weissling

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how the interface design of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device influences the communication behaviors of people with aphasia during a narrative retell task.

Method: A case-series design was used. Four narratives were created on an AAC device with combinations of personally relevant (PR) photographs, line drawings (LDs), and text for each participant. The narrative retells were analyzed to describe the expressive modality units (EMUs) used, trouble sources experienced, and whether trouble sources were repaired. The researchers also explored the participants’ perceived helpfulness of the interface features.

Results: The participants …

The Impact Of Interface Design During An Initial High-Technology Aac Experience: A Collective Case Study Of People With Aphasia, Aimee R. Dietz, Kristy S.E. Weissling, Julie Griffith, Miechelle L. Mckelvey, Devan Macke

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this collective case study was to describe the communication behaviors of five people with chronic aphasia when they retold personal narratives to an unfamiliar communication partner using four variants of a visual scene display (VSD) interface. The results revealed that spoken language comprised roughly 70% of expressive modality units; variable patterns of use for other modalities emerged. Although inconsistent across participants, several people with aphasia experienced no trouble sources during the retells using VSDs with personally relevant photographs and text boxes. Overall, participants perceived the personally relevant photographs and the text as helpful during the retells. These …

Treating Myofunctional Disorders: A Multiple-Baseline Study Of A New Treatment Using Electropalatography, Alana Mantie-Kozlowski, Kevin M. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study assessed the benefit of using electropalatography (EPG) in treatment aimed at habilitating individuals with nonspeech orofacial myofunctional disorders (NSOMD).

Method: The study used a multiple-baseline design across 3 female participants who were referred for an evaluation and possible treatment of their NSOMD. Treatment sessions were 30 min and provided twice weekly. Participant 1 received 8 treatments, Participant 2 received 6 treatments, and Participant 3 received 4 treatments. The patterns of sensor activation produced when participants’ tongues made contact with the electropalate during saliva swallows were compared with the patterns of age-matched peers. Individualized goals were developed on …

Personalizing Aac For People With Aphasia: The Role Of Text And Pictures, Aimee R. Dietz, Kristy S.E. Weissling, Julie Griffith, Miechelle L. Mckelvey

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Over time, and with intensive instruction, people with aphasia (PWAs) can learn to use grid-based, categorically organized, high-technology AAC layouts during structured tasks (e.g., Hough & Johnson, 2009). In an effort to reduce the training intensity required to teach PWAs to use AAC; researchers developed visual scene displays (VSDs), designed to complement the residual cognitive and linguistic abilities of PWAs by tapping their intact episodic memory. VSD interfaces incorporate personally relevant (PR) photos, text, and speech output (Dietz, McKelvey, & Beukelman, 2006; Weissling & Beukelman, 2006). VSDs appear to facilitate improved communication success (e.g., McKelvey, Dietz, Hux, Weissling, & Beukelman, …

Electropalatography As An Adjunct To Nonspeech Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder Assessments: A Feasibility Study, Alana Mantie-Kozlowski, Kevin M. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine if electropalatography (EPG) would be a useful adjunct and feasible option for those conducting clinical assessments of individuals with suspected nonspeech orofacial myofunctional disorders (NSOMD). Three females (two adults, one child) were referred by their orthodontist for assessment of suspected NSOMD. Three adults and one child without NSOMD were recruited for the purpose of evaluating methodological construct, and to provide comparisons for participants with NSOMD. Using EPG, lingual-palatal timing and contact patterns of 105 saliva swallows (45 with NSOMD, 60 without NSOMD) were analyzed by compartmentalizing the sensor display and tracking the …

Supporting Narrative Retells For People With Aphasia Using Aac: Photographs Or Line Drawings? Text Or No Text?, Julie Griffith, Aimee R. Dietz, Kristy S.E. Weissling

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

People with aphasia (PWAs) have demonstrated the ability to learn augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices that employ traditional grid layouts to enhance their communication; however, the process is typically lengthy and yields limited generalization (Fox & Fried-Oken, 2001; Koul & Harding, 1998). In response, researchers have begun to investigate the use of visual scene displays (VSDs) to support the communication interactions of PWAs by capitalizing on their relatively intact episodic memory (Beukelman, Dietz, McKelvey, Hux, & Weissling, in press; Dietz, Beukelman, & McKelvey, 2006a; Dietz, McKelvey, Beukelman, Weissling, & Hux, 2006b; McKelvey, Dietz, Hux, Weissling, & Beukelman, 2007). High-technology …

There Is A Continued Need For Empirical Data Supporting The Treatment Of People With Aphasia In The Acute Care Setting Including The Use Of Modified Melodic Intonation Therapy, Miechelle L. Mckelvey, Kristy S.E. Weissling

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Abstract from & commentary on: Conkly, D., Novac, E., Boissy, A. Bethoux, F., & Chemali, K. (2012). The effects of modified melodic intonation therapy on nonfluent aphasia: A pilot study. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 55, 1462–1471.

Q: What are the immediate effects of Modified Melodic Intonation Therapy (MMIT) on the modified repetition and responsive subtests of the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) in stroke patients with Broca’s aphasia?

While this study had several limitations, the basic premises—the exploration of the effectiveness of changes to traditional MIT and the exploration of treatment in very acute stages—were valuable. Further systematic …

Spatiotemporal Coupling Of The Tongue In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Mili S. Kuruvilla, Jordan R. Green, Yana Yunusova, Kathy Hanford

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The primary aim of the investigation was to identify deficits in spatiotemporal coupling between tongue regions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The relations between disease-related changes in tongue movement patterns and speech intelligibility were also determined.

Methods: The authors recorded word productions from 11 individuals with ALS with mild, moderate, and severe dysarthria using an x-ray microbeam during word productions. A coupling index based on sliding window covariance was used to determine disease-related changes in the coupling between the tongue regions across each word.

Results: The results indicated decreased spatiotemporal coupling of mid-posterior tongue regions and reduced tongue speed …

Augmented Input: The Effect Of Visuographic Supports On The Auditory Comprehension Of People With Chronic Aphasia, Sarah E. Wallace, Aimee R. Dietz, Karen Hux, Kristy S.E. Weissling

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background: Augmented input (AI), or the use of visuographic images and linguistic supports, is a strategy for facilitating the auditory comprehension of people with chronic aphasia. To date, researchers have not systematically evaluated the effects of various types of AI strategies on auditory comprehension.

Aims: The purpose of the study was to perform an initial evaluation of the changes in auditory comprehension accuracy experienced by people with aphasia when they received one type of AI. Specifically, the authors examined the effect four types of non-personalized visuographic image conditions on the comprehension of people with aphasia when listening to narratives.

Methods …

Endoscopic And Stroboscopic Presentation Of The Larynx In Male-To-Female Transsexual Persons, Derek Palmer, Angela M. Dietsch, Jeff Searl

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background. Male-to-female transsexual (MFT) persons often attempt to produce a female-sounding voice as part of the transition process. Endoscopic and stroboscopic data about how they accomplish this with an anatomically male larynx are lacking.

Objectives. To describe vocal fold activity in MFT persons producing their feminine voice and identify signs of vocal misuse or hyperfunction in MFT speakers, if any.

Study Design. Prospective, nonrandomized, descriptive study of a convenience sample of MFT persons.

Methods. All MFT persons had endoscopic and stroboscopic procedures completed. Images were rated on a range of parameters by two experienced voice therapists …

Vocational Experiences Of Survivors Of Severe Tbi With Diverse Employment Patterns: An Explanatory Mixed Method Design, Erin J. Bush

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Employment status is a salient outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI). A return to productive activity relates in complex ways to quality of life, and loss of employment competence has potentially devastating effects on survivors. Currently, inadequate information exists about the distribution of occupations held by survivors, post-injury employment stability, and the frequency that survivors return to their pre-injury occupations. The research presented herein addressed these issues. This study consisted of two phases. Through Phase 1, the researcher gathered quantitative employment data regarding a pool of 283 survivors of severe TBI. She then conducted telephone interviews of family members of …

Perceptual And Acoustical Comparisons Of Motor Speech Practice Options For Children With Childhood Apraxia Of Speech, Amy Nordness

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) need intensive and accurate practice to establish an accurate motor plan and improve their speech production. Computer-led practice led to a greater quantity of practice and was preferred over parent-led practice. Further knowledge regarding children’s accuracy of speech during independent practice is needed to determine if computer-led practice is a viable practice tool. Twelve children diagnosed with CAS, between 3-0 and 7-11 years of age, participated in speech practice during computer-led, parent-led, and clinician-led practice. Comparisons of perceptual accuracy of consonants and vowels, acoustical accuracy of stops, vowels, and fricatives, and variability of …