Visibility graph analysis of speech evoked auditory brainstem response in persistent developmental stuttering

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2019-03, Vol.696, p.28-32
• Main Authors: Mozaffarilegha, Marjan, Adeli, Hojjat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: GIC; Persistent developmental stuttering (PDS); Speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (s-ABR); Visibility graph
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.12.015

•Visibility graph (VG) and fractality are used to evaluate the complexity of speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (s-ABR).•VG of the s-ABR is proposed to differentiate subjects with persistent developmental stuttering (PDS) from the normal group.•Differential complexities between normal and PDS subjects is quantified using Graph index complexity (GIC).•The model is applied to 14 individuals with PDS and 15 normal subjects.•The results reveal promising ability of GIC for assessment of abnormal activation of brainstem level in PDS. In this research, the concept of fractality based on nonlinear science and chaos theory is explored to study and evaluate the complexity of speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (s-ABR) time series in order to capture its intrinsic multiscale dynamics. The visibility graph of the s-ABR series is proposed as a quantitative method to differentiate subjects with persistent developmental stuttering (PDS) from the normal group. Differential complexities between normal and PDS subjects is quantified using Graph index complexity (GIC). The model is applied to 14 individuals with PDS and 15 normal subjects. The results reveal the promising ability of GIC for assessment of abnormal activation of brainstem level in PDS group. It is observed that all s-ABR series have visibility graphs with a power-law topology and fractality in the s-ABR series is dictated by a mechanism associated with long-term memory of the auditory system dynamics at the brainstem level.