Analytic bias and phonological typology

from Phonology

Two factors have been proposed as the main determinants of phonological typology: channel bias, phonetically systematic errors in transmission, and analytic bias, cognitive predispositions making learners more receptive to some patterns than others. Much of typology can be explained equally well by either factor, making them hard to distinguish empirically. This study presents evidence that analytic bias is strong enough to create typological asymmetries in a case where channel bias is controlled. I show that (i) phonological dependencies between the height of two vowels are typologically more common than dependencies between vowel height and consonant voicing, (ii) the phonetic precursors of the height-height and height-voice patterns are equally robust and (iii) in two experiments, English speakers learned a height-height pattern and a voice-voice pattern better than a height-voice pattern. I conclude that both factors contribute to typology, and discuss hypotheses about their interaction.

Generative phonology in the late 1940s

from Phonology

This paper offers a careful reading of an article published by Rulon Wells in Language in 1949 on the subject of automatic alternations in phonology. Read with a modern eye, it reveals that phonologists were exploring the value and use of phonological derivations, including both abstract representations and intermediate representations, in the late 1940s. Contrary to what has been suggested in the literature, Bloomfield’s explorations in rule ordering published in 1939 were not isolated and without influence. Our conclusion is the null hypothesis: that there is an intellectual continuity from the work of Sapir and Bloomfield, through that of Wells and Harris, to that of Chomsky & Halle. We conclude by offering some suggestions as to why this is not widely recognised in the field.

On the perceptual origin of loanword adaptations: experimental evidence from Japanese

from Phonology

Japanese shows an asymmetry in the treatment of word-final [n] in loanwords from English and French: while it is adapted as a moraic nasal consonant in loanwords from English, it is adapted with a following epenthetic vowel in loanwords from French. We provide experimental evidence that this asymmetry is due to phonetic differences in the realisation of word-final [n] in English and French, and, consequently, to the way in which English and French word-final [n] are perceived by native speakers of Japanese. Specifically, French but not English word-final [n] has a strong vocalic release that Japanese listeners perceive as their native vowel []. We propose a psycholinguistic model in which most loanword adaptations originate in perceptual assimilation, a process which takes place during perception and which maps non-native sounds and sound structures onto the phonetically closest native ones. We compare our model to alternatives couched within phonological theory.

The processing of German word stress: evidence for the prosodic hierarchy

from Phonology

The present paper explores whether the metrical foot is necessary for the description of prosodic systems. To this end, we present empirical findings on the perception of German word stress using event-related brain potentials as the dependent measure. A manipulation of the main stress position within three-syllable words revealed differential brain responses, which (a) correlated with the reorganisation of syllables into feet in stress violations, and (b) differed in strength depending on syllable weight. The experiments therefore provide evidence that the processing of word stress not only involves lexical information about stress positions, but also (quantity-sensitive) information about metrical structures, in particular feet and syllables.

The general/specific breakdown of semantic memory and the nature of superordinate knowledge: Insights from superordinate and basic-level feature norms

from Cognitive Neuropsychology

The deterioration of semantic memory usually proceeds from more specific to more general superordinate categories, although rarer cases of superordinate knowledge impairment have also been reported. The nature of superordinate knowledge and the explanation of these two semantic impairments were evaluated from the analysis of superordinate and basic-level feature norms. The results show that, in comparison to basic-level concepts, superordinate concepts are not generally less informative and have similar feature distinctiveness and proportion of individual sensory features, but their features are less shared by their members. Results are in accord with explanations based on feature connection weights and/or concept confusability for the superordinate advantage cases. Results especially support an explanation for superordinate impairments in terms of higher semantic control requirements as related to features being less shared between concept members. Implications for patients with semantic impairments are also discussed.

Foveal crowding in posterior cortical atrophy: A specific early-visual-processing deficit affecting word reading

from Cognitive Neuropsychology

Visual crowding is a form of masking in which single-letter identification is compromised by the presence of additional letters or other simple visual forms in close proximity. This behavioural phenomenon has been studied most frequently in the context of amblyopic and normal peripheral vision. In the current study, we investigate this phenomenon in the context of two patients with peripheral dyslexia and a third with visual disorientation consequent to bilateral posterior cortical atrophy. In one case, reading showed the effects of word length typical of letter-by-letter reading, whereas the second case was unable to read any whole words. In a series of letter identification tasks, recognition accuracy was shown to decrease significantly in the presence of a range of flanking stimuli (e.g., letters, digits, letter fragments). Compatible with previous reports of the crowding phenomenon, the flanking effect was strengthened by increasing flanker proximity but was unaffected by target or flank size, flank contrast, target-flank lexicality, or flank category. One patient also showed amelioration of the flanking effect when the target and flankers were of opposite contrast polarity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of visual crowding in individuals with posterior cortical atrophy. We consider the relevance of these empirical findings to accounts of the letter-by-letter reading form of peripheral dyslexia. In particular, we suggest that crowding constitutes one specific form of early-visual-processing deficit, which impairs the reading process.

Presidential candidates comment on causes of autism – Association says evidence-based approach should guide national autism “conversation”

from News-Medical.net

Noting that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are often the first group of professionals to recognize that a child has autism and are central to providing treatment, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) sent letters this month to Presidential candidates Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama that advise taking an evidence-based approach to the vaccine controversy surrounding what causes autism and to policy development related to care.

UCSF and YouTube Launch Channel Dedicated to Educating the Public About Neurodegenerative Diseases

from Topix.net

UCSF launches Internet campaign to encourage early diagnosis of dementia and participation in clinical trials.

Cognitive declines following bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease

from the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
Background: We investigated the cognitive and psychiatric outcome 6 months after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) using a disease control group.
Methods: 23 patients who underwent DBS were compared with 28 medically treated patients with PD at baseline and at 6 months for neuropsychological measures. In addition to the group outcomes, we report reliable change indices (RCI) and a dementia caseness analysis.

Results: Patients who underwent DBS demonstrated a significant decline in verbal memory compared with the control group (p<0.003), and trends for decline on oral information processing, including verbal fluency, timed transcription and word naming. Patients who underwent DBS demonstrated declines in attention, set shifting and semantic fluency but these changes were similar to the rate of decline in the PD group. RCI indicated that patients who underwent DBS demonstrated clinically significant declines in verbal fluency (p<0.01) and inhibition of a dominant response (p<0.003), with trends for declines in set shifting (p<0.02) and verbal long term recall (p<0.08), indicative of frontostriatal dysfunction. Patients who underwent DBS did not demonstrate significant changes in depression, anxiety or psychological distress scores. The caseness analysis revealed that one of the patients who underwent DBS (4%) converted to dementia over 6 months compared with none of the PD controls.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that patients who underwent DBS experienced declines in verbal recall and trends for declines in oral information processing 6 months following surgery, even when good motor outcome was achieved. Potential candidates should be counselled about the risk of mild frontostriatal cognitive declines following DBS to weigh the risks and benefits of surgery.

A Multivariate Analysis of Objective Voice Changes After Thyroidectomy Without Laryngeal Nerve Injury

from Archives of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

Objective To evaluate the impact of thyroidectomy and the possible effects of factors such as patient sex, operation type, and surgeon experience on objective voice parameters of patients undergoing thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury.

Design Prospective study.

Setting University hospital.

Patients Thirty-six patients undergoing primary thyroidectomy because of thyroid disease.

Main Outcome Measures The effect of thyroidectomy on voice was examined by recording the voices of the patients before and 1 week after thyroidectomy. The Multi-Dimensional Voice Program was used for capturing and analyzing the voice samples.

Results On postoperative examination of objective voice changes, thyroidectomy had no multivariate effect on the combination of voice parameters. Patient sex, type of surgery, and surgeon experience had no effect on the combination of voice parameters before and after thyroidectomy. Regardless of within-patient factors (type of surgery, patient sex, and surgeon experience), 4 acoustic parameters (highest fundamental frequency, standard deviation of average fundamental frequency, phonatory average fundamental frequency range in semitones, and degree of subharmonics) significantly decreased after thyroidectomy (P < .05). Although they tended to be worse, none of the acoustic parameters showed significant changes in male patients. However, significant changes in some of the acoustic parameters of female patients were observed. Highest fundamental frequency, standard deviation of average fundamental frequency, phonatory average fundamental frequency range in semitones, absolute jitter, relative average perturbation, pitch perturbation quotient, shimmer in decibels, percentage of shimmer, amplitude perturbation quotient, noise to harmonic ratio, and degree of subharmonics values were all lower in female patients after thyroidectomy (P < .05).

Conclusions Voice changes may occur after thyroidectomy without any evident laryngeal injury, and deterioration and amelioration of acoustic parameters can be observed to occur differently among male and female patients. Preoperative and postoperative objective voice analyses may be helpful in documenting voice changes.

Comparison of Auditory Brainstem Response Results in Normal-Hearing Patients With and Without Tinnitus

from Archives of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

Objective To evaluate electrophysiologically the auditory nerve and the auditory brainstem function of patients with tinnitus and normal-hearing thresholds using the auditory brainstem response (ABR).

Design Case-control study.

Setting Ambulatory section of the Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital de Base de Brasília.

Patients Thirty-seven individuals with tinnitus and 38 without tinnitus, with ages ranging from 20 to 45 years and pure-tone thresholds of 25 dB or better at frequencies between 500 and 8000 Hz.

Main Outcome Measures We compared the latencies of waves I, III, and V; the interpeak intervals I-III, III-V, and I-V; the interaural latency difference (wave V); and the V/I amplitude ratio between the 2 groups.

Results Among the 37 patients in the study group, abnormal results were found in 16 (43%) in at least 1 of the 8 parameters evaluated. When we analyzed the latencies, although the values were on average in the normal range used in the present study, the tinnitus group presented a significant prolongation of the latencies of waves I, III, and V when compared with the control group. Furthermore, we found the interpeak I-III, III-V, and I-V values to be within the normal limits, but the interpeak III-V value was significantly (P = .003) enlarged in the study group compared with the control group. The V/I amplitude ratio found in the tinnitus group was within normal limits; however, a significant (P = .004) difference was found when the 2 groups were compared. The averages of the interaural latency difference (wave V) did not show significant differences in relation to the control group.

Conclusions We conclude that, although the averages obtained in several analyzed parameters were within normal limits, the ABR results from the patients with and without tinnitus and normal hearing are different, suggesting that ABR might contribute to the workup of these patients. Our data show that there are changes in the central pathways in the study group. The meaning of these changes must be further investigated.

Diabetes Might Help Spur Hearing Loss

from HealthCentral.com

Hearing impairment may be a common, under-recognized complication of diabetes, suggests a U.S. study.

Hot flashes underreported and linked to forgetfulness

from EurekAlert.org

Women in midlife underreport the number of hot flashes that they experience by more than 40 percent, and these hot flashes are linked to poor verbal memory, according to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Association between surgical steps and intraoperative auditory brainstem response and electrocochleography waveforms during hearing preservation vestibular schwannoma surgery

from the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

Abstract Intraoperative monitoring of the auditory pathway by means of either electrocochleography or auditory brainstem response audiometry is valuable during hearing preservation vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery. A more than 75% intraoperative reduction of the amplitude of these evoked auditory potentials was thought to be related with clear hearing compromise of hearing. We identified 22 patients who satisfied this intraoperative criterion in a cohort of 86 consecutive patients who had attempted hearing preservation VS surgery. The surgical step that temporally coincided with the above event was considered to be the most critical step for hearing monitoring during this kind of surgery. Most frequently, drilling of the internal auditory canal and direct tumor resection were associated with the aforementioned changes, but also drilling of the cortical temporal bone at the very beginning of surgery or the opening of the dura could be implicated. This profound intraoperative amplitude decrease was associated with a profound postoperative hearing impairment in 84% of the cases.