Aerodynamic aspect of sensory deprived speech.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of oral sensory deprivation upon the aerodynamic characteristics of consonant production. Three adult males with normal speech served as subjects and read a prose passage containing at least three occurences of 13 different stops and fricatives in a syllable-initial stressed position. Sensory deprivation was achieved through a series of nerve-block injections. Intraoral air pressure was obtained using a catheter passed through the nasal cavity. Air flow rate data were obtained using a tightly fitting face mask coupled to a pneumotachograph and a differential pressure transducer system. The results indicated that, during sensory deprivation, the intraoral air pressures, intraoral air pressure durations, and air flow rates were consistently higher than during the control condition. Very few qualitative changes in the aerodynamic patterns were observed during oral anesthesia. These results were interpreted as evidence of a mixed motor control model of speech. The temporal sequencing aspect of speech appears to be feedback independent. However, the elevated aerodynamic parameters were conceived as executive adjustments to provide increased sensory data necessary for precision in reaching appropriate articulatory targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]