| Abstract | Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a neurological motor speech disorder characterized by impaired motor planning in the presence of intact neuromuscular processes. We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the beta power band during pseudoword repetition and during stimulation of the lip and tongue in eight children with CAS compared to seven typically developing peers. Since beta ERD is a common neural marker of preparation for motor execution, abnormal ERD may be associated with deficiencies in motor planning. Overall, there were no significant differences in auditory processing, nor was ERD different in primary somatosensory or primary motor cortices. However, those with CAS exhibited significantly weaker ERD in Broca’s area during motor planning compared to typically developing controls. Future work, however, should expand with a larger sample, and more complex forms of CAS. |
