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PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of the maximum voluntary arm muscle contraction in sign language for the deaf.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of upper member muscles' activation of deaf individuals, who use the Brazilian sign language - LIBRAS, comparing these findings to volunteers with no postural deviations and normal hearing METHODS: Forty eight volunteers divided into two groups comprising healthy and deaf subjects (24 volunteers for each group). The signs of rest were obtained with the volunteer maintaining the upper member in an anatomical position, but with the forearm flexed and sustained by the lower member. Maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) of the biceps, triceps, deltoid, and trapezius muscles were performed in the position of muscular function testing. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS-10.0. Continuous data with normal distribution were analyzed by ANOVA with the significance level of p < 0.01. RESULTS: The normalized electromyographic muscle data obtained in muscular rest do not show statistically significant differences among the studies muscles, in both groups. In the comparison of normalized RMS values obtained in MVIC, the mean values for the trapezius muscle of deaf group were statistically lower than control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study's results indicate there are no differences between the levels of muscular activation for arm biceps, arm triceps, and the anterior portion of the deltoid muscle between the mean normalized RMS values of deaf and healthy individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

A visuospatial "phonological loop" in working memory: evidence from American Sign Language.

In two experiments, the question of whether working memory could support an articulatory rehearsal loop in the visuospatial domain was investigated. Deaf subjects fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) were tested on immediate serial recall. In Experiment 1, with ASL stimuli, evidence was found for manual motoric coding (worse recall under articulatory suppression) and previous findings of ASL-based phonological coding (worse recall for phonologically similar lists) were replicated [corrected]. The two effects did not interact, suggesting separate components which both contribute to performance. Stimuli in Experiment 2 were namable pictures, which had to be recoded for ASL-based rehearsal to occur. Under these conditions, articulatory suppression eliminated the phonological similarity effect. Thus, an articulatory process seems to be used in translating pictures into a phonological code for memory maintenance. These results indicate a configuration of components similar to the phonological loop for speech, suggesting that working memory can develop a language-based rehearsal loop in the visuospatial modality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

The neural organization of discourse: an H2 15O-PET study of narrative production in English and American sign language.

In order to identify brain regions that play an essential role in the production of discourse, H2 15O-PET scans were acquired during spontaneous generation of autobiographical narratives in English and in American Sign Language in hearing subjects who were native users of both. We compared languages that differ maximally in their mode of expression yet share the same core linguistic properties in order to differentiate the stages of discourse production: differences between the languages should reflect later, modality-dependent stages of phonological encoding and articulation; congruencies are more likely to reveal the anatomy of earlier modality-independent stages of conceptualization and lexical access. Common activations were detected in a widespread array of regions; left hemisphere language areas classically related to speech were also robustly activated during sign production, but the common neural architecture extended beyond the classical language areas and included extrasylvian regions in both right and left hemispheres. Furthermore, posterior perisylvian and basal temporal regions appear to play an integral role in spontaneous self-generated formulation and production of language, even in the absence of exteroceptive stimuli. Results additionally indicate that anterior and posterior areas may play distinct roles in early and late stages of language production, and suggest a novel model for lateralization of cerebral activity during the generation of discourse: progression from the early stages of lexical access to later stages of articulatory-motor encoding may constitute a progression from bilateral to left-lateralized activation. This pattern is not predicted by the standard Wernicke-Geschwind model, and may become apparent when language is produced in an ecologically valid context.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Rationale and strategies for American Sign Language intervention.

A Midwest school district established a demonstration Total Communication Project. Its goal was for teachers to become consistent in their role modeling of English and American Sign Language (ASL). English was the primary language of the classroom and ASL was used as an intervention tool. There has been little research on the effectiveness of ASL in the classroom. By implementing an ASL intervention program this project is a first step in establishing an environment conducive to investigating the effectiveness of ASL intervention for teaching deaf students. This paper describes: (a) techniques used for identifying classroom situations that call for the use of ASL; (b) discourse situations that influence the use of different language codes in total communication classrooms; and (c) guidelines for code-switching between English and ASL.

Communication Methods, Total↗
PubMed1982

Short-term recall by deaf signers of American Sign Language: implications of encoding strategy for order recall.

Two experiments were conducted on short-term recall of printed English words by deaf signers of American Sign Language (ASL). Compared with hearing subjects, deaf subjects recalled significantly fewer words when ordered recall of words was required, but not when free recall was required. Deaf subjects tended to use a speech-based code in probed recall for order, and the greater the reliance on a speech-based code, the more accurate the recall. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a speech-based code facilitates the retention of order information.

Deafness↗
PubMed2000

Interactive use of sign language by cross-fostered chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

Cross-fostered as infants in Reno, Nevada, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Washoe, Moja, Tatu, and Dar freely converse in signs of American Sign Language with each other as well as with humans in Ellensburg, Washington. In this experiment, a human interlocutor waited for a chimpanzee to initiate conversations with her and then responded with 1 of 4 types of probes: general requests for more information, on-topic questions, off-topic questions, or negative statements. The responses of the chimpanzees to the probes depended on the type of probe and the particular signs in the probes. They reiterated, adjusted, and shifted the signs in their utterances in conversationally appropriate rejoinders. Their reactions to and interactions with a conversational partner resembled patterns of conversation found in similar studies of human children.

Animal Communication↗
PubMed2004

Motor-iconicity of sign language does not alter the neural systems underlying tool and action naming.

Positron emission tomography was used to investigate whether the motor-iconic basis of certain forms in American Sign Language (ASL) partially alters the neural systems engaged during lexical retrieval. Most ASL nouns denoting tools and ASL verbs referring to tool-based actions are produced with a handshape representing the human hand holding a tool and with an iconic movement depicting canonical tool use, whereas the visual iconicity of animal signs is more idiosyncratic and inconsistent across signs. We investigated whether the motor-iconic relation between a sign and its referent alters the neural substrate for lexical retrieval in ASL. Ten deaf native ASL signers viewed photographs of tools/utensils or of actions performed with or without an implement and were asked to overtly produce the ASL sign for each object or action. The control task required subjects to judge the orientation of unknown faces. Compared to the control task, naming tools engaged left inferior and middle frontal gyri, bilateral parietal lobe, and posterior inferotemporal cortex. Naming actions performed with or without a tool engaged left inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral parietal lobe, and posterior middle temporal gyrus at the temporo-occipital junction (area MT). When motor-iconic verbs were compared with non-iconic verbs, no differences in neural activation were found. Overall, the results indicate that even when the form of a sign is indistinguishable from a pantomimic gesture, the neural systems underlying its production mirror those engaged when hearing speakers name tools or tool-based actions with speech.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The relation between sign language skill and spatial visualization ability: mental rotation of three-dimensional objects.

The present study was designed to ascertain whether a relationship exists between the experience of an individual in American Sign Language (ASL) and performance on the Mental Rotations Test. 51 women were divided into three groups on the basis of self-reported ASL skill (years of experience). All subjects then completed the Mental Rotations Test, a paper-and-pencil test of spatial ability. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was also administered to examine possible apprehension about evaluation. Significant differences in scores on mental rotations were found, with 18 experienced signers scoring significantly higher than either mean of the two less experienced groups (ns = 16 and 17). It appears that people experienced in ASL perform better on the Mental Rotations Test. No evidence for a difference in anxiety related to the amount of experience a person had in ASL was found.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Use of American Sign Language in telepsychiatry consultation.

The aim of this study was to provide a psychiatric consultation to a deaf patient in a rural community via telemedicine. The patient successfully communicated with the telepsychiatrist via an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and her psychiatric symptoms improved. This case study demonstrated the feasibility of delivering specialty medical services to a special needs population via telemedicine.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Short-term memory span: insights from sign language.

Short-term memory (STM), or the ability to hold information in mind for a few seconds, is thought to be limited in its capacity to about 7 +/- 2 items. Notably, the average STM capacity when using American Sign Language (ASL) rather than English is only 5 +/- 1 items. Here we show that, contrary to previous interpretations, this difference cannot be attributed to phonological factors, item duration or reduced memory abilities in deaf people. We also show that, despite this difference in STM span, hearing speakers and deaf ASL users have comparable working memory resources during language use, indicating similar abilities to maintain and manipulate linguistic information. The shorter STM span in ASL users therefore confirms the view that the spoken span of 7 +/- 2 is an exception, probably owing to the reliance of speakers on auditory-based rather than visually based representations in linguistic STM, and calls for adjustments in the norms used with deaf individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[The competent cell - the immune system as a metaphor, sign, language and culture].

We investigated how the progressive function of the metaphor, the model world of signs, language and culture, link the cell's immunological knowledge with a perceivable concept of the body. Using ethnomethodologically oriented, partly interpretative text analysis, we examined the lymphocyte stimulation test, word clusters in immunology and other medical specialties, the linguistic presentation of the body in German, American and the internet, the presentation of the "self" of the cell in biology and immunology, and protocols of oncological out-patient interviews and chatrooms. When an abstract sign model is created, then the existence of a "negotiable", "competent" and "tolerant" immune cell is predominated by the concept of a cell and much less by elements of the body. Thus, the passive, spatial-anatomical concept of the body can be overcome and the position of the microscopically describable inner observer achieved. This is related to the American concept of a body that can be formed at will from animated individual parts. This model immune system impresses upon physical life and also provides a new metaphor for human interaction in accordance with the pattern of immunocompetent cells.

Body Image↗
PubMed2006

Image statistics of American Sign Language: comparison with faces and natural scenes.

Several lines of evidence suggest that the image statistics of the environment shape visual abilities. To date, the image statistics of natural scenes and faces have been well characterized using Fourier analysis. We employed Fourier analysis to characterize images of signs in American Sign Language (ASL). These images are highly relevant to signers who rely on ASL for communication, and thus the image statistics of ASL might influence signers' visual abilities. Fourier analysis was conducted on 105 static images of signs, and these images were compared with analyses of 100 natural scene images and 100 face images. We obtained two metrics from our Fourier analysis: mean amplitude and entropy of the amplitude across the image set (which is a measure from information theory) as a function of spatial frequency and orientation. The results of our analyses revealed interesting differences in image statistics across the three different image sets, setting up the possibility that ASL experience may alter visual perception in predictable ways. In addition, for all image sets, the mean amplitude results were markedly different from the entropy results, which raises the interesting question of which aspect of an image set (mean amplitude or entropy of the amplitude) is better able to account for known visual abilities.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Using sign language with tracheotomized infants and children.

Children's ability to communicate with others is important for cognitive development. However, the number of infants and young children deprived of vocalization (aphonia) is increasing in the pediatric patient population due to tracheotomy. The Communication Program for Infants and Parents (CPIP) uses sign language as an alternative system to verbal communication.

Aphonia↗
PubMed1984

American-sign-language statements and delay of gratification in hearing-impaired and nonhandicapped children.

Hearing-impaired children were individually administered a task in which possession of accumulating candy rewards was made contingent upon the child's decision to stop any further accumulation of the candy. Hearing-impaired children, who under instruction periodically made American Sign Language (ASL) statements about the goodness of the reward, waited significantly longer before terminating the waiting period than did hearing-impaired children instructed to sign statements about the act of waiting and somewhat longer than did hearing-impaired children instructed to sign a neutral statement. Since the pattern of delay was unlike that reported in earlier investigations when nonhandicapped children verbalized similar statements and since variation in mode of communication did not influence delay in nonhandicapped children in the present investigation, the results were interpreted in terms of differences in cognitive controlling mechanisms between nonhandicapped and hearing-impaired children.

Attention↗
PubMed1994

Varied sign language systems and their mediating effects on WISC-R Verbal subtests of profoundly deaf students: a replication.

This study replicated the 1984 work of Miller who reported a normal mean Verbal IQ of profoundly deaf students. To 27 profoundly deaf students the WISC--R Verbal Scale was administered using one of three signed language systems. The means do not support Miller's findings and raise some doubt about the mediating effects of language systems among profoundly deaf students.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Categorical perception of face actions: their role in sign language and in communicative facial displays.

Can face actions that carry significance within language be perceived categorically? We used continua produced by computational morphing of face-action images to explore this question in a controlled fashion. In Experiment 1 we showed that question--type--a syntactic distinction in British Sign Language (BSL)--can be perceived categorically, but only when it is also identified as a question marker. A few hearing non-signers were sensitive to this distinction; among those who used sign, late sign learners were no less sensitive than early sign users. A very similar facial-display continuum between "surprise" and "puzzlement" was perceived categorically by deaf and hearing participants, irrespective of their sign experience (Experiment 2). The categorical processing of facial displays can be demonstrated for sign, but may be grounded in universally perceived distinctions between communicative face actions. Moreover, the categorical perception of facial actions is not confined to the six universal facial expressions.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Acquisition of American sign language by a noncommunicating autistic child.

Experiments in the perception and language abilities of autistic children indicate that the children have auditory-visual association problems. These findings, combined with the findings that autistic communication is primarily gestural, led to the teaching of elements of American Sign Language to a 5-year-old nonverbal autistic boy. Results after 20 hours of training indicate that the child did acquire signs, that increasing signing led to increasing vocal speech, and that the child has rudimentary English syntax. The use of Ameslan signs spontaneously generalized to other situations and the training resulted in increased social interaction.

Autistic Disorder↗