Speech comprehension is a highly complex process involving the integration of multiple acoustic, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic features. I examine how these aspects of communication are represented in healthy and patient populations using novel paradigms combining behavioral and neuroscientific methods. My research agenda focuses on two challenges that arise frequently during speech perception: (1) segmenting the speech signal into smaller units and (2) assigning meaning to those units and computing pragmatic inferences. Breakdowns at any point during speech segmentation and pragmatic inferencing, such as in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) or aphasia, result in significant communication difficulties that impact quality of life in these individuals. Both patient groups suffer from reduced abilities to express themselves and understanding the world around them. Through early diagnosis and intervention, it will be possible to mitigate the social communication barriers and negative attitudes that often lead to social isolation.
My research approach is to stimulate participants with advanced experimental tools and measure their responses in multiple ways. For stimulation, I use ecologically valid audio-visual inventories, such as videos and auditory sentences, that have been utilized successfully to study healthy and patient populations (McDonald et al., 2003; Kotz & Schmidt-Kassow, 2015). Additionally, I plan to use low-risk electrical stimulation techniques in order to influence the neuronal processing of audio-visual stimuli, to establish causal links between brain areas and speech comprehension and to explore the ability of this technique to treat language impairments. In order to assess the impact of different forms of stimulation on language competence, I utilize innovative experimental recording techniques, such as eye tracking and electroencephalography (EEG). These techniques allow non-invasive measurements of brain function with high temporal resolution, making it possible to record how people respond to tasks during stimulus presentation and neuronal processing. Ultimately, my research program will advance communication science research including the development of successful clinical tools and intervention programs.
Kathrin Rothermich, PhD 