ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In this study, we compared the performance of both fluent speakers and people who stutter in three different speaking situations: monologue speech, oral reading and choral reading. This study follows the assumption that the neuromotor control of speech can be influenced by external auditory stimuli in both speakers who stutter and speakers who do not stutter. METHOD: Seventeen adults who stutter and seventeen adults who do not stutter were assessed in three speaking tasks: monologue, oral reading (solo reading aloud) and choral reading (reading in unison with the evaluator). Speech fluency and rate were measured for each task. RESULTS: The participants who stuttered had a lower frequency of stuttering during choral reading than during monologue and oral reading. CONCLUSIONS: According to the dual premotor system model, choral speech enhanced fluency by providing external cues for the timing of each syllable compensating for deficient internal cues.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Feedback, Sensory/physiology , Speech/physiology , Stuttering/physiopathology , Acoustic Stimulation/methods , Reading , Speech Production Measurement , Stuttering/classificationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE Toexploretheantidepressanteffectsofalbiflorinandtheinvolvementof hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function in its antidepressant potency.METHODS Two weeks after the olfactory bulbectomized (OB)surgery,albiflorin (2.5 ,5.0 ,10.0 mg·kg -1 ,ig) and imipramine 5.0 mg·kg -1 (ig)were given to rats twice a day for 14 d.The open-field test was con-ducted to evaluate the move ment distance,move ment ti me and velocity of olfactory bulbecto mized rats and sham-operated rats.The serum levels of corticosterone(CORT)and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)in rats were measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The expression levels of glucocorticoids receptor (GR)in the hippocampus of the rats were analyzed using Western blot proce-dures.RESULTS Comparedwithsham-operatedrats,movementdistance,movementtimeandveloci-ty of the OB rats were significantly increased (P<0.01 ).Albiflorin 1 0.0 mg·kg -1 significantly reduced the movement distance,movement time and velocity of OB rats (P<0.05)after being given for 7 d. The movement properties were significantly reduced by albiflorin 5.0 and 10.0 mg·kg -1 when given for 14 d (P<0.05).The OB rats demonstrated significantly increased levels of serum CORT and ACTH (P<0.01 )and decreased GR expression in the hippocampus (P<0.01 ).Albiflorin 2.5,5.0 and 10.0 mg·kg -1 significantly reduced the serum CORT and ACTH levels (P<0.05),while albiflorin 5.0 and10.0mg·kg-1increasedtheexpressionofhippocampalGR(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Albiflorin may have re markable behavioral antidepressant effects on olfactory rats and one of the related mecha-nis ms may be its regulation of the hyperactivity of HPA axis function.
ABSTRACT
Objective To establish the cell model of intractable epilepsy and to observe its neuronal damage and morphologic change of neurites.Methods The model was established by exposing hippocampal neurons to Mg2+ -free media for 3 hours on days 10 of culture.Expression of lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) in supernatant was measured as an index of neuronal damage.The morphologic change of neurons and neurites was observed by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM).Results Compared to the control group, level of LDH (U/L) was significantly increased in the model group at different time points (3 hours: 4.26 ± 1.28, 6 hours: 6.56 ±2.34 and 24 hours: 16.67 ±3.57, P <0.05).With time prolonging, release of LDH in the model group was gradually increased (F = 39.316,P <0.05).Under optical microscope, neurons of model group migrated closely to each other and neurite connections appeared to be gradually "reticulated" after Mg2+ -free media treatment for 24 hours; and the "reticulated" neurites connections become more obvious after 72 hours.Under SEM, neuronal membrane was rough and had several small depressions, neurites were interlaced in cluster.Conclusions Neuronal damage and morphologic change of neurites are verified in the cell model of intractable epilepsy.