Dysprosody is an alteration in the pronunciation and intonation of words, the cause of which has been linked to significant neurological damage. This is one of the manifestations of Foreign Accent Syndrome, although it also occurs in people with Parkinson’s, among other conditions. It is also an alteration that has allowed us to study the relationships between language, affective state, emotional processing and communication.
Next we will see what dysprosody is and what its main characteristics are.
The term “dysprosody” is composed, on the one hand, of the word “dis” which means separation, divergence or difficulty. And on the other hand, it is made up of the word “prosody”, which in grammar is the branch in charge of teaching the correct pronunciation and accentuation of words.
In phonology, Prosody studies the phonic features that affect meter for example the rhythm or structure of the verses, but especially the accents and intonation.
Thus, dysprosody is the difficulty pronouncing or intoning words properly It is characterized by alterations in the intensity, pauses, rhythm, cadence and intonation of words. As such, the person who has dysprosody can understand language and vocalize the desired responses, however, they find it difficult to control the way they enunciate these responses.
Dysprosody and foreign accent syndrome
One of the most studied conditions in relation to this is foreign accent syndrome, which consists of a sudden pronunciation with unusual tone and stress.
In fact, the first studies on dysprosody are also the first studies carried out with this syndrome. At the beginning of the 20th century, the French neurologist Pierre Marie studied the case of a woman who, After suffering a cardiovascular accident, he drastically and suddenly changed his intonation
Although they have been few, since then similar cases have been reported, which have currently led to studying the relationship between hemiplegia and alteration in speech patterns.
Other conditions in which dysprosody can manifest is in Parkinson’s (in this case it has in fact been widely studied), in Autism Spectrum Disorder, in some types of depression and schizophrenia
Difference between dysprosody and prosodic disability
Manifesting itself as a major change in intonation and pronunciation, dysprosody can be confused with the expression of a certain mood or even with a difficulty processing emotional information. However, this is not necessarily the case.
To establish differences between dysprosody and affective processing, important terms have emerged. One of them is “prosodic disability.”
While dysprosody refers to the absence of physical and/or linguistic means to indicate the affective state through intonation; prosodic disability refers to the opposite phenomenon: a previous “affective deficit” It can be reflected through atypical prosodic schemes (Gallardo and Moreno, 2010).
Causes
The causes of dysprosody have been mainly attributed to severe neurological damage The most studied have been brain tumors and trauma, generally caused by cerebrovascular accidents, although in some cases it has also been related to brain and/or head trauma.
Nevertheless Cases of dysprosody have also been reported after laryngeal surgeries which may indicate that there is not necessarily a solely neurological etiology.
Recently, dysprosody has been explained by cognitive-affective functions related to cortical areas of the right cerebral hemisphere. And even more recently, the participation of the subcortical structure and the relationship of prosody with communication and emotional processing in different syndromes has begun to be investigated.
Types of dysprosody
From the above, two main types of dysprosody have emerged, with also differential symptoms, linguistic dysprosody and emotional dysprosody. Each of these types refers to the modifications in the person’s individual speech, and Far from being exclusive manifestations, both types are usually closely related
1. Linguistic type dysprosody
Is about an alteration in the intention of the speech, due mainly to verbal variations. For example, it may be difficult for the person to phrase a question differently than a statement, making it difficult to communicate with other people. Likewise, he has difficulty emphasizing certain words or revealing the intention of an expression.
2. Emotional dysprosody
It is characterized by a difficulty transmitting or expressing emotions through speech and sometimes it can include difficulties in understanding the emotions that are transmitted in other people’s speech, precisely due to the important changes in intonation and the difficulty in controlling them.
The severity of emotional dysprosody can vary depending on the neurological damage, and as we have said before, it does not mean that the person has lost the ability to experience emotions, but rather that there is difficulty expressing and/or understanding them. The latter has been especially important in the understanding of different psychiatric or neurological diagnoses such as those we have mentioned throughout this text.
Dysprosody, especially of a linguistic type, It is usually evaluated and treated with speech therapy Above all, including exercises to identify prosodic signals in natural situations, that is, practicing everyday conversations.
Although its effects on emotional dysprosody are less promising, there are also strategies to improve the expression of emotions that complement language therapies.
