Lab Mission:

Our lab aims to uncover the pathophysiology of speech disorders to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic tools and, ultimately, to improve the lives of those with communication difficulties. We focus on the role of sensorimotor processing in speech motor control and how altered sensory inputs can reveal mechanisms and therapeutic targets for speech disorders. We also aim to extend research paradigms to clinically meaningful contexts and develop interdisciplinary collaborations to translate basic science findings into novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Our Work Fits Into Three Domains

Sensorimotor Control of Speech Timing in Parkinson’s Disease (PD):

• Investigate the neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying altered speech timing in PD, focusing on sensorimotor control.
• Evaluate auditory acuity for functional speech timing and the relationship between perceptual timing impairments and speech production timing.
• Develop individualized therapeutic options for communication difficulties in PD.

Auditory Feedback Control and Stuttering:

• Investigate the interaction of auditory feedback control of speech, temporal sequence generation, and attentional processes in modulating stuttering in people who stutter (PWS).
• Examine the relationships between perceptual acuity of speech, auditory-motor control of speech, and stuttering.
• Study changes in auditory-motor control of speech across conditions with variable attentional demands using psychophysical speech acuity testing, auditory feedback perturbation experiments, and neuroimaging (fMRI and EEG).

Sensorimotor Interactions in Laryngeal Dystonia (LD):

• Examine the factors affecting symptom variability across contexts.
• Examine the relationship between sensory feedback modulation and measures of severity in LD.
• Explore non-invasive sensory modulation as a potential therapy for LD.