Dr. McNeil’s research interests include neurogenic speech and language disorders with emphasis in information processing and comprehension, and in the assessment and differential diagnosis of aphasia and traumatic brain injury. His specialties include: 1) test design and development for aphasia and traumatic brain injury; 2) treatment efficacy of aphasic, apraxic and dysarthric persons using group and single subject experimental designs; 3) mechanisms of language translation into speech movements using perceptual, acoustic and physiologic measures; 4) patient assisted measurement of functioning and well being; and 5) the effects of peripheral hearing on central auditory language processing in the temporarily able-bodied and persons with aphasia. In addition to being a Distinguished Service Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Science & Disorders, Dr McNeil has a secondary appointment as Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh.
Distinguished Alumnus Award - Northern Michigan University, 1989
Visiting Scientist Fellowship. Republic of South Africa, 1993, 1998
Fellow, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1996
Honors of the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences, 1998
Honors of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2003
Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2005
Chancellor’s (University of Pittsburgh) Research Award, 2005
Honors of Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, 2005
Distinguished Service Professor of Communication Science and Disorders, 2006
Research Career Scientist Award. Veterans Administration, 2007
McNeil, M.R., Matthews, C.T., Hula, W.D., Doyle, P.J., & Fossett, R.D. Effects of visual-manual tracking under dual-task conditions on auditory language comprehension and story retelling in persons with aphasia. Aphasiology, 20, 167-174, 2006.
Hula, W.D., Doyle, P. J. McNeil, M. R. & Mikolic, J. M. “Rasch Modeling of Revised Token Test Performance: Validity and Sensitivity to Change.” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 27-46, 2006.
Wambaugh, J. L., Duffy, J.R., McNeil, M.R., Robin, D.A., & Rogers, M.A. Treatment 2006 guidelines for acquired apraxia of speech: A synthesis and evaluation of the evidence. Journal of Medical Speech Language Pathology, 14, 2, XV-XXXII, 2006.
Wambaugh, J. L., Duffy, J.R., McNeil, M.R., Robin, D.A., & Rogers, M.A. Treatment guidelines for acquired apraxia of speech: treatment descriptions and recommendations. Journal of Medical Speech Language Pathology, 14, 2, XXV-LXVII. 2006.
Doyle, P.J., Matthews, C.T., Mikolic, J.M., Hula, W.D. & McNeil, M.R. Do measures of language impairment predict patient-reported communication difficulty and distress as measured by the Burden of Stroke Scale (BOSS)? Aphasiology, 20, 349-361, 2006.
McNeil, M.R., Sung, J.E., Yang, D., Pratt, S.R., Fossett, T.R.D., Pavelko, S. & Doyle, P.J. Comparing connected language elicitation procedures in person with aphasia: Concurrent validation of the Story Retell Procedure. Aphasiology, 21, 775-790, 2007.
Eberwein, C. A., Pratt, S.R., McNeil, M.R., Fossett, T.R.D., Doyle, P.J., & Szuminsky, N.J. Auditory Performance Characteristics of the Computerized Revised Token Test (C-RTT). Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 50, 865-877, 2007.
Doyle, P.J., McNeil, M.R., Bost, J.E., Ross, J.E., Wambaugh, J., Hula, W.D. & Mikolic, J.M. The burden of stroke scale provided reliable and responsive score estimates of functioning and well-being during the first year of recovery from stroke. Quality of Life Research, 16, 1389-1398, 2008.
Doyle, P.J., McNeil, M.R., Li, K., Hula, W.D. & Ventura, M.B. Measuring Communicative Functioning in Community Dwelling Stroke Survivors: Conceptual Foundation and Item Development. Aphasiology, 22, 7-7, 718-728, 2008.
Hula, W.D. & McNeil, M.R. Models of attention and dual-task performance as explanatory constructs in aphasia. Seminars in Speech and Language, 29, 3, 169-187, 2008.
McNeil, M.R. (Ed). Clinical Management of Sensorimotor Speech Disorders. 2nd Edition. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers. 2009.
Duffy, J.R. & McNeil, M.R. “Primary Progressive Aphasia and Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech. In R. Chapey, Language Intervention Strategies For Aphasia. 5th Edition, Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, Chapter 20, 543-564, 2008.
McNeil, M.R., Robin, D.A., & Schmidt, R.A. “Apraxia of Speech: Definition and Differential Diagnosis. In: M.R. McNeil, Clinical Management of Sensorimotor Speech Disorders. 2nd Ed. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers, Chapter 15, 249-268, 2008.
McNeil, M.R., Hula, W.D., Sung, J.E. “The role of memory and attention in aphasic language performance.” Chapter in: J. Guendouzi, F. Loncke & M. Williams, (Eds.). The Handbook of Psycholinguistic & Cognitive processes: Perspectives in Communication Disorders. LEA, Taylor & Francis. In Press.
McNeil, M.R. & Copland, D.A. “Aphasia theory, models and classification. Chapter in: L.L. LaPointe (Ed.). Handbook of Aphasia and Brain-Based Cognitive-Language Disorders. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers. In Press.
McNeil, M.R. The Nature of Aphasia in Adults. In: Lass, N.J., McReynolds, L., Northern, F. and Yoder, D. (Eds.), Speech Language and Hearing, Vol. II. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 692-740, 1982.
McNeil, M.R., Robin, D.A. & Schmidt, R.A. Apraxia of speech: Definition, differentiation and treatment. In: M.R. McNeil (Ed.), Clinical Management of Sensorimotor Speech Disorders. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers. 311-344, 1997.
McNeil, M.R., Weismer, G., Adams, S. and Mulligan, M. “Oral structure nonspeech motor control in normal, dysarthric, aphasic and apraxic speakers: Isometric force and static position control. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 33, 255-268, 1990.
McNeil, M.R., Odell, K. and Tseng, C-H. "Toward the integration of resource allocation into a general theory of aphasia." Clinical Aphasiology, 20, 21-39, 1991.
McNeil, M.R. & Pratt, S.R. A Standard Definition of Aphasia: Toward a general theory of aphasia. Aphasiology, 15, 10/11, 901-911, 2001.
Associate Editor: (Language Division) Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1992-1994
Treasure, Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, 2000-2004
Member, Board of Advisors, Neurotrauma Registry (www.neure.com), 2003-Present
Chairman, Board of Governors, Academy of Aphasia, 2003-2005
Vice Chair, Board of Governors, Academy of Aphasia, 2005-2007
Member, Publications Board, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2008-2011
Editorial Board: Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, 1991-Present
Editorial Board: Open Access “Applied Linguistics Journal”, 2008-Present
Editorial Board: Aphasiology, 1995-Present
Editorial Board: Asia-Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing, 1996-Present