Apraxia is severe speech problem found in children, and In this, they don't learn to speak clearly and combine sounds properly, the timing and sequencing of their words are also affected.
The integrity of the brain speech pathway responsible task such as speaking was found to be affected in these individuals, finds a new study.
New Computer System Shows Hope In Children With Speech Disorder
Assessing children's speech is particularly challenging because of high levels of variation even among typically developing children.
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‘Using a brain analysis, they were able to see differences in the integrity of brain pathways’
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An international study led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute has made a breakthrough in identifying a potential cause of the most severe child speech impediment - apraxia.
One in 1000 children has apraxia, but understating the origins of this debilitating speech disorder has until now remained elusive.
A team of researchers, led by MCRI speech pathologist Prof Angela Morgan, has identified anomalies in a critical speech pathway of the brain connected to speech.
![Using Sign Language may be Helpful for Kids With Speech Disorder]( "Using Sign Language may be Helpful for Kids With Speech Disorder")
Very little is scientifically proven when it comes to 'best practices' but there is a growing body of literature that is helping to guide treatment.
Prof Morgan said a better understanding could help neuroscientists and speech pathologists look to developing more targeted treatments for children.
The research paper, 'Dorsal language stream anomalies in an inherited speech disorder' is published in the latest issue of the international journal, Brain.
Prof Morgan, who is also Professor of Speech Pathology at the University of Melbourne, said children with apraxia fail to learn to speak clearly and combine sounds properly, the timing and sequencing of their words is also affected.
"People struggle to understand what they say, which has major negative long-term effects on their ability to form social relationships, self-esteem, academic achievements and quality of life," Prof Morgan said.
Prof Morgan said the research team was able to identify irregularities in a core brain pathway in apraxia sufferers. "Normal MRI scans found no anomalies, but we used a very sophisticated scan, that enables Brain Tractography analysis, which measures the integrity of brain pathways," Prof Morgan said.
"We looked at the brains of seven families members with apraxia and found there were core differences in a key brain tract for speech - the dorsal language stream."
Dr. Morgan said this newly discovered variance in that brain pathway appeared to be critical to how people listen and then produce speech.
Source: Eurekalert
A team of researchers, led by MCRI speech pathologist Prof Angela Morgan, has identified anomalies in a critical speech pathway of the brain connected to speech.
Using Sign Language may be Helpful for Kids With Speech Disorder
Very little is scientifically proven when it comes to 'best practices' but there is a growing body of literature that is helping to guide treatment.
Advertisement
Prof Morgan said a better understanding could help neuroscientists and speech pathologists look to developing more targeted treatments for children.
The research paper, 'Dorsal language stream anomalies in an inherited speech disorder' is published in the latest issue of the international journal, Brain.
Prof Morgan, who is also Professor of Speech Pathology at the University of Melbourne, said children with apraxia fail to learn to speak clearly and combine sounds properly, the timing and sequencing of their words is also affected.
"People struggle to understand what they say, which has major negative long-term effects on their ability to form social relationships, self-esteem, academic achievements and quality of life," Prof Morgan said.
Prof Morgan said the research team was able to identify irregularities in a core brain pathway in apraxia sufferers. "Normal MRI scans found no anomalies, but we used a very sophisticated scan, that enables Brain Tractography analysis, which measures the integrity of brain pathways," Prof Morgan said.
"We looked at the brains of seven families members with apraxia and found there were core differences in a key brain tract for speech - the dorsal language stream."
Dr. Morgan said this newly discovered variance in that brain pathway appeared to be critical to how people listen and then produce speech.
Source: Eurekalert
Speech Disorder Apraxia May Damage Nerves in Brain
A problem with speech programming - directing the muscles and structures that move - is apraxia and is sometimes misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease.
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 Learning About Human Speech Disorders from a Bird's SongCan the song of a small bird provide valuable insights into human stuttering and speech-related disorders and conditions, including autism and stroke? New research by UCLA life scientists | Advertisement
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