Word length effects on EMG/vowel duration relationships in apraxic speakers

The effects of word length on the timing of lip electromyographic (EMG) activity for production of the vowel /u/ and the relationship of this activity to vowel duration were examined in matched male and female pairs of normal and apraxic speakers. Both apraxic speakers had suffered left cerebrovascular accidents, which resulted in apraxia of speech as the primary communication deficit. For all participants, the interval of time in which lip muscle activity was present prior to the onset of voicing for the /u/ (EMG onset interval) in each word systematically decreased as word length increased. However, EMG activity offset intervals, which were measured from the onset of voicing for /u/ to the onset of the reduction of EMG activity during the vowel (EMG termination interval), decreased as word length increased only for the normal speakers. Relative onset of EMG activity was not significantly related to relative offset of EMG activity or relative vowel duration. However, the relative EMG onset interval was correlated with the duration of an entire word. Findings for the relative EMG termination interval were variable and are discussed relative to the severity of apraxia of speech.