Attention in post-lexical processes of utterance production: Dual-task cost in younger and older adults

Abstract

There is a general agreement that speaking requires attention at least for conceptual and lexical processes of utterance production. However, conflicting results have been obtained with dual-task paradigms using either repetition tasks or more generally tasks involving limited loading of lexical selection. This study aimed to investigate whether post-lexical processes recruit attentional resources. We used a new dual-task paradigm in a set of experiments where a continuous verbal production task involved either high or low demand on lexical selection processes. Experiment 1 evaluates lexical and post-lexical processes with a semantic verbal fluency task, whereas experiments 2 and 3 focus on post-lexical processes with a non-propositional speech task. In each experiment, two types of non-verbal secondary tasks were used: processing speed (simple manual reaction times) or inhibition (Go/No-go). In Experiment 1, a dual-task cost was observed on the semantic verbal fluency task and each non-verbal task. In Experiment 2, a dual-task cost appeared on the non-verbal tasks but not on the speech task. The same paradigm was used with older adults (Experiment 3), as increased effort in post-lexical processes has been associated with ageing. For older adults, a dual-task cost was also observed on the non-propositional verbal task when speech was produced with the inhibition non-verbal task. The results suggest an attentional cost on post-lexical processes and strategic effects in the resolution of the dual-task.

Longitudinal study of speech and dual-task performance in Parkinson's disease patients treated with subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation

“…In contrast, DTC on RT was more severe when speech and Go tasks were simultaneously performed. These results are similar to performance patterns presented by healthy elderly on the same DT attributed to a shift of attentional focus between speech and visuo-motor task depending on visuo-motor task complexity level [15]. Such effect appears to be consistent with the capacity limit model [7] VF: Verbal Fluency.…”

“…The index was reversed so that negative scores indicate a decreased performance. A detailed description of the DT can be found in Fournet et al [15].…”

How linked are word production and comprehension?

“…Other studies have approached the question of what is shared between production and comprehension in a different way, by testing whether access to production and comprehension is possible at the same time, and testing whether there is interference between the tasks (e.g., Bürki et al, 2020;Fairs, 2019;Fairs et al, 2018;Fargier & Laganaro, 2016Fournet et al, 2021). In everyday life people tend to multitask quite often, such as driving while listening to the radio, or cooking while having a conversation, and we may feel less efficient or slowed down in one or the other activity.…”

A systematic review of the relationships amongst older adults’ cognitive and motor speech abilities

“…Most of the identified research examined the relationship between attention/executive functioning and motor speech across 23 studies, revealing mixed evidence. Of 12 studies incorporating a dual-task paradigm, six reported significant declines in motor speech performance from single to dual-task conditions, including reduced speech rate (Kemper et al, 2003(Kemper et al, , 2005(Kemper et al, , 2009(Kemper et al, , 2011, word and syllable rate (Fournet et al, 2021), syllable accuracy, and speech duration (Whitfield & Goberman, 2017). These studies involved administering challenging secondary tasks including walking, ignoring speech or noise, digital tracking, and non-verbal cognitive tasks.…”

“…To reduce potential confounding, Fournet et al (2021) measured word and syllable rate while participants recited the days of the week, a relatively automatic speech task.…”