Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Localization Of Music In Perceived Motion In Cochlear Implant Users, Madeleine Beyer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Spatial perception contributes to music perception and enjoyment, yet it remains understudied in cochlear implant (CI) users. Spatial effects in music are often achieved through panning, a tool which redistributes an audio signal level between or among several outputs, creating a perceived sound localization. CI users typically perform worse than normal hearing (NH) listeners on tasks of horizontal localization and music perception when manipulating the actual location of the sound. However, despite the common use of panning in daily use and consumption of music, no previous studies were conducted to examine how panning impacts the listening experience for CI users. …

What Of It? Coding The Unmarked Of-Preposition In Language Samples From Young Aae Speakers, Denise A. Finneran, Maura J. Moyle, Alaina Nash, Sixia Chen

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

We examined the of-preposition in language samples because it is a highly variable feature that can be marked or unmarked (e.g., “out [of] the door”) depending on context. Children who speak African American English (AAE) produce unmarked of-prepositions in contexts that are universal across AAE and General American English (GAE; e.g., “out [of] the window”) and in contexts specific to the AAE dialect (e.g., “out [of] the car”). Guidance in the literature on this variability is limited for language sample analysis. Participants included 113 children who spoke AAE. We examined contexts with unmarked of-prepositions in narrative language samples in a …

Survey Of The Diagnostic, Rehabilitative, Educational, And Inter-Professional Changes In The Profession Of Audiology, Leah Joshowitz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: The profession of audiology has undergone dramatic changes since its inception. A survey of audiologists working in a variety of settings was conducted to gain insight into their perspective on how the scope of audiology practice has changed overtime. Participants responded to an open-ended questionnaire with questions ranging from queries about the expansion of knowledge base in topics such as advanced diagnostics, technological advances, national regulations, educational requirements, and inter-professional collaborations. The implications of the findings regarding the evolution of the current scope of practice and how it can be altered are discussed below.

Methods: An open-ended questionnaire was …

Self-Reported Audiological And Vestibular Symptoms Associated With Lyme Disease, Daniella A. Bryan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background:

Lyme disease, an infectious vector-borne illness, is carried by the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, which harbor the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, affecting hundreds of thousands of people in the United States annually. Lyme disease has a multitude of clinical presentations and overlaps with other complex illnesses, making diagnosis and treatment a medical challenge. This distinct bacterium can migrate into any organ system through the mediums of soft tissue, the lymphatic system, and the circulatory system. Despite its prevalence and range in symptomatology, minimal research has been conducted to identify distinct audiological and vestibular symptoms associated with a Lyme …

Bimodal Hearing Vs. Bilateral Hearing: Presenting A Review Of Existing Literature To Assist Audiologists With Determining The Optimal Hearing Modality, Eliana Dachman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

While guidelines exist for cochlear implant candidates, there are no specific established guidelines for bimodal users who are considering a 2nd cochlear implant. The objective of this paper is to critically review the literature addressing the question of comparative performance outcomes for bimodal hearing (one hearing aid in combination with a cochlear implant) and bilateral cochlear implants (two cochlear implants). The inclusion criteria were publications comparing bimodal and bilateral cochlear implant performance on speech perception, localization, and subjective quality. Fifteen qualifying papers were identified and analyzed. The results indicate that there are possible advantages to bilateral cochlear implants when assessing …

A Developmental Texture Framework For Food Texture Progression: Implications For Feeding Development, Oral Motor Skills, And Pediatric Feeding Disorder, Amy L. Delaney, Sarah Staskiewicz, Suzanne Evans Morris, Sarah Smith-Simpson, Praveen S. Goday

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

The introduction of food textures in a child's first 2 years of life plays a vital role in growth, nutrition, and feeding development. However, the absence of a standardized texture framework for studying texture progression limits both pediatric feeding research and the ability to diagnose pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) based on age-appropriate expectations. To address this gap, authors Delaney and Goday proposed data sharing from the Nestlé Feeding Infant-Toddler Study (FITS) to explore texture progression and define age-appropriate texture expectations. In response, Nestlé assembled a multidisciplinary panel of feeding experts to create standardized textures but did not provide financial or …

Benchmarking Machine Learning Models In Lesion-Symptom Mapping For Predicting Language Outcomes In Stroke Survivors, Deepa Tilwani, Christian O'Reilly, Nicholas Riccardi, Valerie L. Shalin, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Julius Fridriksson, Svetlana V. Shinkareva, Amit P. Sheth, Rutvik H. Desai

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Several decades of research have investigated the neural connections between stroke-induced brain damage and language difficulties. Typically, lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) studies that address this connection have relied on mass univariate statistics, which do not account for multidimensional relationships between variables. Machine learning (ML) techniques, which can capture these intricate connections, offer a promising complement to LSM methods. To test this promise, we benchmarked ML models on structural and functional MRI to predict aphasia severity (N = 238) and naming impairment (N = 191) for a cohort of chronic-stage stroke survivors. We used nested cross-validation to examine performance along …

Distinct Brain Age Gradients Across The Adult Lifespan Reflect Diverse Neurobiological Hierarchies, Nicholas Riccardi, Alex Teghipco, Sarah Newman-Norlund B.S., M.A., Roger Newman-Norlund Ph.D., Ida Rangus, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

‘Brain age’ is a biological clock typically used to describe brain health with one number, but its relationship with established gradients of cortical organization remains unclear. We address this gap by leveraging a data-driven, region-specific brain age approach in 335 neurologically intact adults, using a convolutional neural network (volBrain) to estimate regional brain ages directly from structural MRI without a predefined set of morphometric properties. Six distinct gradients of brain aging are replicated in two independent cohorts. Spatial patterns of accelerated brain aging in older adults quantitatively align with the archetypal sensorimotor-to-association axis of cortical organization. Other brain aging gradients …

Deconstructing Professionalism: The Role Of The Dress Code, Klaire Brumbaugh, Lauren Wright-Jones

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Professionalism is a complex construct that is difficult to measure. Oftentimes in graduate training programs, adherence to a dress code is coupled with professionalism and professional behavior. This manuscript reviews dress codes in various graduate training programs. Strategies are provided for university faculty and administrators to lead their programs in developing culturally responsive practices by beginning to deconstruct dress code from the concept of professionalism.

The Effects Of Counseling On Patient Usage And Satisfaction With Wearing Hearing Aids, David Frazier

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Hearing aids are a vital intervention for managing hearing loss, yet their adoption remains disproportionately low across age groups. Only 30% of adults aged 70 and older and a mere 16% of adults aged 20 to 69 who could benefit from hearing aids report ever using them. This study explored whether counseling and education, within the framework of aural rehabilitation therapy (ART), could improve hearing aid satisfaction and usage rates. Participants with mild-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss were evaluated using the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire, which was administered during hearing aid fittings to gauge the effectiveness of …

Neuroanatomical And Morphometric Differences In Children Who Stutter, Mohammad A. Khan

Honors Scholar Theses

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder commonly known as stuttering is a neurodevelopmental speech disorder characterized by disruptions in speech fluency. While genetic and neurobiological factors are implicated, the structural brain differences underlying stuttering remain unclear. This study investigated neuroanatomical alterations in children who stutter (CWS) compared to typically fluent children (TFC), focusing on gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area in speech-related regions; the Inferior Frontal Gyrus, Middle Temporal Gyrus, and Pre-motor Operculum. High-resolution MRI data from 100 children (48 CWS, 52 TFC) aged 3–12 years were analyzed using FreeSurfer. Group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in cortical thickness, surface …

An Innovative Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (Cimt) Program Design And Case Study To Address Upper Extremity Use And Spatial Inattention, Mark Blanchard, Ingrid A. Franc, Payton Nisby, Michelle Arceneaux, Kathleen Chapiesky, Genevieve Ducros, Austin Brannon

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Introduction: Common consequences of stroke include decreased upper extremity function and spatial inattention, both of which cause difficulties in occupational performance in activities of daily living. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is an intervention that has been utilized to improve these consequences of stroke.

Methods: This single case study describes the design and results of a two-week modified CIMT (mCIMT) program that used an enhanced visual and auditory feedback system, the Flint Rehab FitMi device, to address both upper extremity function and left spatial inattention in one participant. Left spatial awareness was encouraged during mCIMT activities by striking targeted pucks placed …

Determining Diagnostic Criteria To Define Infant Swallowing Through Dyad Interviews With Experts, Evon Youkhana

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

INTRODUCTION: With the increasing incidence of pediatric dysphagia, understanding what constitutes normal swallowing is essential to identifying aberrant swallowing. The purpose of this investigation is to understand how expert clinicians define swallowing disorders in infants and young children through a qualitative analysis of clinical decision-making processes.

METHODS: Data collection occurred in two phases. Phase I consisted of an online survey, which gathered demographic information and expert opinions on pediatric feeding and swallowing assessments. Phase II consisted of two dyad interviews to discuss key clinical and instrumental components important in determining the presence or absence of swallowing problems in infants and …

The Application Of Time-Frequency Analysis To Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials, Hannah R. Richardson

Dissertations, 2020-current

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) are produced by highly synchronous bursts of extraocular muscle activity in response to bone or air-conducted stimuli. Surface electromyography (EMG) electrodes can be used to record these responses which reflect utricular function. The traditional analysis of oVEMPs has been limited to time-domain waveform measurements, such as amplitude and latency of response peaks.

Recently, a method grounded in synchrony-based time-frequency analysis was successfully applied to cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) by Clinard et al. (2022). This approach to VEMP analysis can be used as a means to differentiate synchrony from amplitude, quantifying how phase …

The Relationship Between The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex And Vestibular Perception In Trained Dancers Using Sinusoidal Harmonic Acceleration Testing, Diana Trinidad

Dissertations, 2020-current

Early studies have found that engaging in vestibular training, such as dance, may result in enhanced VOR suppression and changes in vestibular perception (e.g., lower sensations of vertigo) attributed to top-down modulation of subcortical neuronal networks and changes in the cerebellum. Dancers use spotting techniques to help control dizziness which involve holding their gaze on a visual object at eye level as they turn. As a result of this training, dancers become habituated to vestibular stimuli leading to lower VOR responses and decreased sensations of vertigo. This study investigated the relationship between the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and vestibular perception in …

Intertrial Coherence As A Measure Of Synchrony In Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials And The Effect Of Gaze Angle, Sydney Brown

Dissertations, 2020-current

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) are produced by highly synchronous bursts of extraocular muscle activity in response to stimuli. These responses reflect utricular function and can be recorded using surface electromyography electrodes. Traditional analysis of oVEMPs is limited to time-domain waveform measurements, such as amplitude and latency of response peaks. Objective synchrony-based measures have not yet been applied to the analysis of oVEMPs, particularly in the comparison of synchrony across gaze angles. We followed the new time-frequency method of analysis developed by Clinard et al. (2022) that was successfully applied to cervical VEMPs to quantify response synchrony. Air-conducted oVEMPs …

Establishing The Feasibility Of Sustained Sinusoidal Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials In Young Adults, Ashton Fowlkes

Dissertations, 2020-current

Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are used in clinics and research to assess the function of primarily the saccule. cVEMPs are typically stimulated with transient clicks or tone bursts through air conduction and are recorded from the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. The SCM is contracted by turning the head either left or right. In this study, we used sustained sinusoidal bone conducted stimuli. Using this new stimulus method allowed us to look at the possibility of a sustained cVEMP response, compared to the typically recorded transient response, as well as analyze the amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the responses. …

The Effect Of An Audio-Recorded Intervention Program On The Knowledge And Self-Reported Practices Of Menstruation And Hygiene Among Visually Impaired Young Girls In Rwanda: A Mixed Method Study, Justine Bagirisano, Marie Laetitia Ishimwe Bazakare, Aimable Nkurunziza, Jean Bosco Henri Hitayezu, Godfrey Katende

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background Menstrual hygiene practices among visually impaired young girls are a significant public health concern in Rwanda. Limited knowledge about menstruation leads to inadequate hygiene practices, increasing the risk of cervical cancer, urinary tract infections, and reduced quality of life. The menstrual hygiene needs of visually impaired girls who depend on daily assistance for personal hygiene have not been adequately addressed in previous studies. Objectives To assess the effect of an audio-recorded program on the knowledge and self-reported practices of menstruation hygiene among visually impaired young girls in Rwanda. Methodology A pre-post mixed intervention study was conducted involving 93 visually …

Pulse Pressure, White Matter Hyperintensities, And Cognition: Mediating Effects Across The Adult Lifespan, Jade Hannan, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Natalie Busby, Sarah C. Wilson, Roger Newman-Norlund, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Objectives: To investigate whether pulse pressure or mean arterial pressure mediates the relationship between age and white matter hyperintensity load and to examine the mediating effect of white matter hyperintensities on cognition.

Methods: Demographic information, blood pressure, current medication lists, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores for231 stroke- and dementia-free adults were retrospectively obtained from the Aging Brain Cohort study. Total WMH load was determined from T2-FLAIR magnetic resonance scans using the TrUE-Net deep learning tool for white matter segmentation. In separate models, we used mediation analysis to assess whether pulse pressure or MAP mediates the relationship between age and total …

A Literature Review: Understanding Gestalt Language Processing In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jordynn L. Urwiler

Honors Thesis

Gestalt language processing (GLP) is not a new idea in the field of speech-language pathology. However, the topic has recently become more popular among practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and the neurodiversity movement may be partially responsible. Advocates for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shifted away from using behavioral approaches that try to “fix” autistic1 cognition and communication patterns. Although Analytical Language Processing (ALP) is the typical path for language development, it is now understood that GLP may be a valid form of language acquisition used by both neurotypical and neurodivergent people. The purpose of this literature review is to provide …