Communication Sciences & Disorders

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• Research Labs Main
• Auditory Research Lab
• Child and Adolescent Language Lab (CALL)
• Clinical Research in Neurogenic Communication Disorders Lab (CRNCS)
• Computational, Speech, Sensory, Development & Diseases Lab (CSD²)
• Hearing Aid Research Lab (HARL)
• Infant and Toddler Language Laboratory
• Neural Bases of Communication and Swallowing
• Psychoacoustic Research Lab
• Research Applications in Clinical Education (RACE)
• Sensory-Neural Engineering Research Laboratory
• Sign Language Research Lab
• Stuttering Research Laboratory
• Video Analysis Lab

Neural Bases of Communication and Swallowing

Focus of Lab

The long term goal of the laboratory is to develop improved understanding of the neural control and pathophysiology of voice, speech  and swallowing disorders as a basis for innovative and effective approaches for the enhancement of voice, speech and swallowing rehabilitation.  The laboratory uses state of the art techniques in clinical neurophysiology to determine the neural mechanisms involved in normal voice and swallowing control and how to enhance neuroplasticity for effective rehabilitation of disorders.  Methods for assessing neural control in health and disease for voice and swallowing include: functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), miniature magnetometry for 3D oral movement transduction (Articulography), videofluorography and electromyography. Emphasis is on conducting Phase II controlled clinical trials to identify effective new mechanisms for neurorehabilitation.

Personnel

• Dr. Christy L. Ludlow, Director

Current Funding

• NIH Grant  U54 NS065701, The Dystonia Coalition, Project Leader “Validity and Reliability of Diagnostic Methods and Measures of Spasmodic Dysphonia.”  September 2009-2014.