Speech breathing was investigated in 14 men with Parkinson disease (PD) and 14 healthy control (HC) subjects. Kinematic, spirometric, acoustic, and pressure data were used to assess speech breathing control during resting tidal breathing, reading aloud, and monologue production. In addition, information regarding the subjects' speech was obtained through perceptual analyses. To address the issue of fluctuations in motor signs data were collected at two times during the drug cycle for subjects with Parkinson disease. During resting tidal breathing, PD subjects, on average, had a faster breathing rate, greater minute ventilation, and lower relative contribution of the rib cage to lung volume excursion than did the HC subjects. During speech breathing, rib cage volume was smaller and abdominal volume was larger at initiation of the breath groups for the PD subjects than the HC subjects. PD subjects produced fewer words and spent less time producing speech per breath group, and tended to have a faster interpause speech rate than did the HC subjects. There was no difference between groups for the duration of inspirations between speech breath groups. Oral pressure was lower for the subjects with Parkinson disease, but tracheal pressure did not differ between the two subject groups. Few differences were found between the two times in the drug cycle for resting breathing and speech breathing. One remarkable finding was the presence of rib cage paradoxing in two subjects when data were collected from the mid-portion of the drug cycle.

Children presenting with communication difficulties are among the most commonly occurring developmental problems. They were observed to have problems with their everyday activities in all the occupational performance areas, as well as displaying behaviours that have a negative impact on their functioning. These behaviours appear similar to those described in children with sensory processing and sensory modulation difficulties. Literature indicated a possible connection between speech and language difficulties and poor sensory integration. This study used the Sensory Profile, a parent report measurement of the child’s sensory responsiveness in daily life, to investigate the sensory processing and modulation of children with Specific Language Impairment, as reflected in their behavioural and emotional responses. The study indicated that this population has specific areas of sensory processing that are unique to children with SLI and that differ significantly in their sensory responsiveness from typical children and children with other conditions like Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

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Parkinson�s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, which is typically characterised in terms of its debilitating effects on motor function. However, ubiquitous neuropsychological deficits are also an integral feature of the progression of this disease. This thesis investigated these cognitive deficits as they manifest in language, with the overarching goal being to elucidate the word-finding problems that are associated with Parkinson�s disease. Making semantic judgements and identifying semantic relations are two processes that are particularly germane to word-finding. Therefore, the present thesis examined: 1) the ability of people with Parkinson�s disease to make judgements about semantic categories, and 2) the integrity of associative semantic networks in Parkinson�s disease. In the first series of studies, Cups and Bowls, a novel semantic categorisation task was used to investigate the ability of people with Parkinson�s disease to consistently categorise common kitchen items across a number of trials. The Parkinson�s group was impaired relative to an age-matched control group on this task. This inconsistent categorisation was particularly apparent for the less typical category exemplars at the category boundaries, suggesting that the Parkinson�s group had less salient or less elaborated semantic categories, which particularly compromised categorisation of the less typical category exemplars. This finding is discussed in terms of selective attention deficits and inappropriate weightings of semantic features. In the second series of studies, Verbal Memory, the structure of the semantic network and access to the semantic system were further investigated using a verbal memory task, which required participants to recall word lists. These word lists consisted of semantically associated words and were designed to elicit false recall of another, non-presented, close semantic associate (the critical lure). The results of this second series of studies, particularly the fact that the Parkinson�s group recalled more of the false critical lures than the control group, suggested an intact semantic network in Parkinson�s disease and normal saliency of semantic categories. The potentiated false recall effect in the Parkinson�s group is discussed in terms of poor modulation of attention in Parkinson�s disease, both as the result of an executive deficit leading to poor controlled processing and in terms of a dopamine-modulated decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio leading to impaired automatic processing. Taken together, the results reported in the present thesis suggest that basal ganglia pathology and striatofrontal deafferentation in Parkinson�s disease do not diminish the integrity of semantic memory, but do compromise operation of semantic memory due to impaired modulation of activation/inhibition mechanisms. This finding of a selective attention deficit has implications for word-finding, suggesting that the word-finding difficulties associated with Parkinson�s disease are the result of impaired lexical access. In particular, retrieval of specific lexical items from semantic memory is impeded because of failure to modulate activation/inhibition mechanisms effectively for the target word to be distinguished from close semantic associates. An intact semantic checking mechanism in anterior language cortex prevents the production of semantic paraphasias, and results in the tip-of-the-tongue word-finding problems displayed by some people with Parkinson�s disease.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-92).

Thesis (M.A.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Linguistics and English Language, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-80).

Thesis (M.A.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders--University of Maine, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-84).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Howard Goldstein, Florida State University, College of Communication, Dept. of Communication Disorders. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 2, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

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