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In Vivo Evaluation of the Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of the Rat Tongue
Published on: July 6, 2017
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Gait change in tongue movement
Donald Derrick1, Bryan Gick2,3
1New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain, and Behaviour, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand. donald.derrick@canterbury.ac.nz.
Scientific Reports
|August 17, 2021
Summary
Speech motor control exhibits distinct "gaits" similar to locomotion. Widening tongue movement range allows for varied speech rates and distinct speech patterns, suggesting a general principle in motor systems.
Area of Science:
- Motor control
- Speech science
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Locomotion involves distinct gaits (e.g., walking, running) that enable a wider range of movement rates.
- It remains unclear if gait changes for rate variation are exclusive to locomotion or a general property of rate-varying motor systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the tongue, during speech, exhibits distinct gaits analogous to locomotion.
- To determine if gait changes in tongue movement expand the range of speech rates.
Main Methods:
- Controlled speech experiments using phrases with complex tongue movements.
- Analysis of tongue-front displacement and speech rate.
- Critical fluctuation analysis of tongue motion during speech production.
Main Results:
- Distinct tongue movement gaits were observed at different speech rates.
- Wider tongue-front displacement ranges correlated with access to wider speech-rate ranges.
- Speakers with wider displacement ranges showed two distinct speech-gait patterns, while those with narrower ranges showed one.
Conclusions:
- Tongue movement during speech demonstrates gait-like properties, similar to locomotion.
- Gait changes in motor systems, like speech, can provide access to wider movement-rate ranges.
- Categorical motion solutions may emerge in any motor system to facilitate broader rate capabilities.
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