Speech motor control develops gradually as the acoustics of speech are mapped onto the positions and movements of the articulators. In this study children and adults between 4-30 years of age produced vocalizations while exposed to frequency altered feedback (FAF). The amplitude and latency of the vocal responses were found to differ as a function of age. Furthermore, neurological responses as indexed by the P1-N1-P2 ERP components were also modulated as a function of age. These results suggest that the auditory feedback system undergoes robust changes with age and vocal tract maturation.
Index Terms: speech acquisition, auditory feedback, ERP, P1, N1, P2