The effects of a sport-related concussion on the motor speech and the motor limb movements: Examining oral diadochokinesis, speech rate, and limb tasks

Jessica Marie Hewitt, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

Background: Motor speech disorders, such as dysarthria, are a common sequelae reported after traumatic brain injuries. However, there is limited research on the effects of sport-related concussions (SRC) on motor speech disorders. Aims: The current study aimed at replicating and extending a previous research study, Dolan (2013), conducted at the University of Texas at El Paso. In her study, Dolan (2013) incorporated and evaluated motor speech tasks: sequential motion rates, and motor limb tasks: movement execution initiation and finger repetition, in athletes following a sport-related concussion. The current study duplicates Dolan’s (2013) study. In addition, it investigates the effects of a SRC on alternating motion rates, speech rate, and intelligibility in a sentence repetition task. Methods: Motor speech and motor limb tasks were investigated in 18 individuals (7 males, 11 females; age = 18.78 years ± 2.37) following a SRC and 18 individuals (7 males, 11 females; age = 19.66 years ± 3.03) in a control group, closely matched by age and education. Oral diadochokinesis (DDK) tasks: sequential motion rates and alternating motion rates were measured and acoustically analyzed using Kay Elemetrics: CSL, model 4500. Speech rates were attained using the computerized Sentence Intelligibility Test. Motor limb tasks included a finger repetition task and a movement execution initiation time task. Total duration times for all speech and the motor limb tasks were compared between groups. Results: The results demonstrate slower DDK syllable duration and total duration times in athletes following a SRC compared to individuals in the control group. Additionally, individuals following a SRC showed slower finger repetition duration and movement execution initiation times in comparison to the control group. Although, speech rate and speech intelligibility is not significant, speech rate did differ; slower speech rate is still noted in athlete’s post-SRC in comparison to the control group. Conclusions: Sport-related concussions do have a significant impact on the motor speech and the motor limb mechanisms, further adding to the already known consequences.

Subject Area

Health sciences

Recommended Citation

Hewitt, Jessica Marie, "The effects of a sport-related concussion on the motor speech and the motor limb movements: Examining oral diadochokinesis, speech rate, and limb tasks" (2015). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1593076.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1593076

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