John Van Borsel

Multilingualism: an fMRI study

To investigate the hypothesis that in multilingual speakers different languages are represented in distinct brain regions, 12 multilingual right-handed men performed a word fluency task, a picture naming task, a comprehension reading task, and their respective control tasks in three languages (Dutch, French, and English) while whole-head functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was applied. In general, all language tasks revealed predominantly overlapping regions of activation for the different languages. Cerebral activation during use of the foreign languages showed a tendency toward a more extensive recruitment of the areas activated in the native language and the activation of a greater number of regions. Word generation in the foreign languages elicited additional bilateral inferior frontal activation, including Brocas area and left middle temporal gyrus activation; in the native language, additional postcentral activation was found. Picture naming in the foreign languages recruited additional inferior-lateral and medial frontal regions predominantly on the left, and more posterior right hemispheric activation in the mother tongue. During comprehension reading there was more activation in medial posterior regions in the native language. Our results suggest that the performance of language tasks in different languages engages largely the same cerebral areas but that the brain, to perform at a comparable proficiency level, engages more neural substrates for later acquired languages. Our findings do not support the view that languages learned later in life entail more right hemispheric involvement. Finally, a consequent effect of language exposure was found for reading, where increased familiarity engages more occipital activation whereas decreased familiarity appears to be associated with increased left hemispheric inferior frontal activation.

Lateralized effects of subthalamic nucleus stimulation on different aspects of speech in Parkinson’s disease

In this report, we have analyzed the effects of left and right STN stimulation separately on different aspects of speech. Significant differences were found between left and right stimulation. It appears that selective left-sided stimulation has a profoundly negative effect on prosody, articulation and hence intelligibility. Right-sided stimulation does not display this side-effect. There is no significant difference in speech characteristics between bilateral stimulation on and off. We suggest that a balanced tuning of bilateral basal ganglia networks is necessary for speech, and that the left circuit is probably dominant.

Stuttering and bilingualism: A review

Although stuttering in bilinguals is an area of interest to both clinicians and researchers, data on bilingualism and stuttering are scanty. This paper reviews the available literature on stuttering and bilingualism. Major findings are that stuttering is probably more prevalent in bilinguals than in monolinguals, that stuttering can affect one or both languages, that the two languages may be equally or differently affected, and that diagnosis and treatment in bilingual stutterers seem to require a particular approach. Educational objectives: The reader will learn about the prevalence of stuttering in bilinguals. The reader will learn about and be able to describe the different patterns of the manifestation of stuttering in bilinguals. The reader will learn about and know some issues to consider in diagnosing and treating dysfluent bilingual clients.

Male gender identity in complete androgen insensitivity syndrome.

Women and girls with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) invariably have a female typical core gender identity. In this case report, we describe the first case of male gender identity in a CAIS individual raised female leading to complete sex reassignment involving both androgen treatment and phalloplasty. CAIS was diagnosed at age 17, based on an unambiguously female phenotype, a 46,XY karyotype, and a 2660delT androgen receptor (AR) gene mutation, leading to a premature stop in codon 807. Bilateral gonadectomy was performed but a short period of estrogen treatment induced a negative emotional reaction and treatment was stopped. Since the age of 3, childhood-onset cross gender behavior had been noticed. After a period of psychotherapy, persisting male gender identity was confirmed. There was no psychiatric co-morbidity and there was an excellent real life experience. Testosterone substitution was started, however without inducing any of the desired secondary male characteristics. A subcutaneous mastectomy was performed and the patient received phalloplasty by left forearm free flap and scrotoplasty. Testosterone treatment was continued, without inducing virilization, and bone density remained normal. The patient qualifies as female-to-male transsexual and was treated according to the Standards of Care by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health with good outcome. However, we do not believe that female sex of rearing as a standard procedure should be questioned in CAIS. Our case challenges the role of a functional AR pathway in the development of male gender identity.

Aquisição fonológica de crianças de classe sócio econômica alta

PURPOSE: to investigate phonological acquisition in population of children with normal development. METHODS: the participants of this study were 240 children of both genders, between 3 and 8-year old. Data were analyzed with respect to age and gender. RESULTS: the results allow to conclude that at the age of 3 the phonemes /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /m/, and /n/ are already acquired and stabilized in the phonological system of the children. Also the phonemes /f/, /v/, /s/, /ʃ/, /z/, /ʒ/, /ʎ/ and /ɲ/ and the affricates [tʃ]e[dʒ] are already acquired at that age although we found a great production variability between children. The acquisition of the phoneme /ɾ/ occurs initially in simple onset (age 4) and afterwards in complex onset (age 5), the acquisition of the phoneme /l/ in simple onset occurs at age 3 and in complex onset at age 4 and the phoneme /R/ in simple onset is acquired at age of 3 and in final position at the age of 4. CONCLUSION: as for the total number of phonemes acquired, it can be concluded that from the age of 3 many children have a complete phonetic inventory, there is a great variability among children. As far as PCC and PCC-R is concerned, the mean percentage of correct consonants increases significantly and gradually while age increases. With regard to gender, not a single significant difference was found for any of the analyses performed in the current study.

fMRI of developmental stuttering: A pilot study

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the feasibility of fMRI in the study of developmental stuttering. Speech contrasts (loud versus silent reading) and language contrasts (reading of semantically meaningful text versus nonsense words) of six developmental stutterers and six nonstutterers were compared using a commercial 1 Tesla MR-Scanner (Siemens Expert). Results indicate that mapping cortical function in persons who stutter is indeed feasible, even with a 1TMR-system. Compared to normals the stutterers seemed to employ different and particularly less differentiated auditory and motor feedback strategies in speech. They apparently rely on auditory processing and on cerebellar contribution as much during silent reading as during reading aloud. Moreover, they showed a greater involvement of the right hemisphere in language processing, activating not only the typical language areas on the left but also and with equal magnitude the right side homologues of these areas. In spite of the promising results, at present several practical problems such as possible movement artifacts and possible masking through scanner noise still hamper a more straightforward use of fMRI in the study of developmental stuttering.

Physical Appearance and Voice in Male-To-Female Transsexuals

Abstract It has been suggested that sex judgments of male-to-female transsexuals based on the voice may be influenced by the physical appearance of the clients. To explore this hypothesis, a listener experiment was designed in which a panel of 22 laypersons and 22 students in speech-language pathology rated the “femaleness” of fourteen male-to-female transsexuals from video-recorded speech samples in three modes of presentation: auditory-only presentation, visual-only presentation, and audiovisual presentation. Results indicate that appearance and voice are indeed interacting factors. Ratings from the auditory-only presentation were significantly lower than ratings from the audiovisual presentation and ratings from the visual-only presentation were significantly higher than those from the audiovisual presentation. It follows that the success of voice training in male-to-female transsexuals is not solely dependent on vocal characteristics and that speech pathologists should consider incorporating physical appearance as a treatment and outcome variable in the voice training of male-to-female transsexuals.

Análise dos processos fonológicos em crianças com desenvolvimento fonológico normal

Purpose: The aim of this study was to verify the use of phonological processes in a group of children with normal phonological development. Methods: The participants were 240 children of both genders, aged between three and eight years. Analyses regarding phonological processes were carried out, and the data were compared considering age and gender. Results: The results allowed the conclusion that at the ages of three, four and five years the most frequently used processes were cluster reduction, lateralization, and final consonant deletion. Metathesis was the second most frequently used process at the age of six, and the third at the age of seven. Concerning the number of phonological processes used at each age range, three-year-old children used at least two processes, and from the age of four onward the minimum number of processes dropped to zero, while the maximum number and the mean number of processes gradually decreased with increasing age. Regarding gender, not a single significant difference was found for any of the analyses performed in the current study. Conclusions: The data obtained in this study evidenced the difficulties found by normally developing children in the production of liquid phonemes and complex syllabic structures.PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to verify the use of phonological processes in a group of children with normal phonological development. METHODS: The participants were 240 children of both genders, aged between three and eight years. Analyses regarding phonological processes were carried out, and the data were compared considering age and gender. RESULTS: The results allowed the conclusion that at the ages of three, four and five years the most frequently used processes were cluster reduction, lateralization, and final consonant deletion. Metathesis was the second most frequently used process at the age of six, and the third at the age of seven. Concerning the number of phonological processes used at each age range, three-year-old children used at least two processes, and from the age of four onward the minimum number of processes dropped to zero, while the maximum number and the mean number of processes gradually decreased with increasing age. Regarding gender, not a single significant difference was found for any of the analyses performed in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained in this study evidenced the difficulties found by normally developing children in the production of liquid phonemes and complex syllabic structures.

Breathiness as a feminine voice characteristic: a perceptual approach.

The present study tested suggestions in the literature that vocal breathiness may influence the perception of femininity of the speaker. Two listener experiments were conducted using normal and breathy voice productions by normal females. Panels of students rated femininity of samples from seven biological female speakers, each producing a normal /a/ and a breathy /a/ at similar pitch and intensity. Two listening experiments were enacted. In experiment 1, the 14 samples were presented at random to the judges as if they were from different speakers. Judges rated feminity on a five-point rating scale with 1 (little feminine) and 5 (very feminine) as left and right extremes, respectively. In experiment 2, the normal and breathy samples of each of the seven speakers were presented pair wise and judges were required to indicate which of the two in their opinion sounded most feminine. In all seven participants, the breathy voice samples were judged to be more feminine than the natural voice samples. This was the case when the breathy and natural samples were presented randomly in experiment 1 and when the samples of each speaker were presented pair wise in experiment 2. Results demonstrate that breathiness indeed may contribute to the perception of femininity but replication in a study involving biological males and transgender clients is indicated. It is unclear which degree of breathiness is required or is the most suitable for facilitating the perception of femininity.

Public Awareness of Stuttering

The results are reported of a questionnaire study into the awareness of stuttering of lay persons in part of Belgium. 1,362 subjects were interviewed. Questions pertained to various aspects of stuttering including prevalence, onset, gender distribution and occurrence in different cultures, cause, treatment, intelligence and hereditariness. Although most respondents were to some extent familiar with stuttering, their overall knowledge of the disorder appeared generally limited.