Speech and respiratory function in the lifespan

In this project, we assess verbal execution by taking into account the cognitive abilities of an individual and a fundamental element of speech: Respiration. Our aim is to understand the interplay between cognition and respiration during real-time execution of neuropsychological verbal tasks, in specific phases of the lifespan. To this end, we examine verbal abilities in teenagers, young adults and older adults. The selected samples at the extremes of the lifespan, represent interesting stages to address the respiratory-cognition association due to the rise and fall of executive functioning and changes in the autonomic nervous system in these periods. This is a lifespan developmental study in which we wish to answer whether special characteristics in speech breathing in the mentioned age stages are important for accuracy of verbal execution, speed of word generation and task difficulty. Moreover, the project seeks to answer these questions in healthy participants as well as in individuals presenting respiratory ailments including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.