1
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Bowers A, Hudock D. Lower nonword syllable sequence repetition accuracy in adults who stutter is related to differences in audio-motor oscillations. Neuropsychologia 2024; 199:108906. [PMID: 38740180 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to use independent component analysis (ICA) of high-density electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate whether differences in audio-motor neural oscillations are related to nonword syllable repetition accuracy in a group of adults who stutter compared to typically fluent speakers. METHODS EEG was recorded using 128 channels from 23 typically fluent speakers and 23 adults who stutter matched for age, sex, and handedness. EEG was recorded during delayed, 2 and 4 bilabial nonword syllable repetition conditions. Scalp-topography, dipole source estimates, and power spectral density (PSD) were computed for each independent component (IC) and used to cluster similar ICs across participants. Event-related spectral perturbations (ERSPs) were computed for each IC cluster to examine changes over time in the repetition conditions and to examine how dynamic changes in ERSPs are related to syllable repetition accuracy. RESULTS Findings indicated significantly lower accuracy on a measure of percentage correct trials in the AWS group and for a normalized measure of syllable load performance across conditions. Analysis of ERSPs revealed significantly lower alpha/beta ERD in left and right μ ICs and in left and right posterior temporal lobe α ICs in AWS compared to TFS (CC p < 0.05). Pearson correlations with %CT for frequency across time showed strong relationships with accuracy (FWE<0.05) during maintenance in the TFS group and during execution in the AWS group. CONCLUSIONS Findings implicate lower alpha/beta ERD (8-30 Hz) during syllable encoding over posterior temporal ICs and execution in left temporal/sensorimotor components. Strong correlations with accuracy and interindividual differences in ∼6-8 Hz ERSPs during execution implicate differences in motor and auditory-sensory monitoring during syllable sequence execution in AWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Bowers
- University of Arkansas, 275 Epley Center, 606 North Razorback Rd. Fayetteville AR, 72701, United States.
| | - Daniel Hudock
- Idaho State University, 921 S. 8th Ave, Mailstop 8116, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States
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2
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Gastaldon S, Bonfiglio N, Vespignani F, Peressotti F. Predictive language processing: integrating comprehension and production, and what atypical populations can tell us. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1369177. [PMID: 38836235 PMCID: PMC11148270 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1369177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Predictive processing, a crucial aspect of human cognition, is also relevant for language comprehension. In everyday situations, we exploit various sources of information to anticipate and therefore facilitate processing of upcoming linguistic input. In the literature, there are a variety of models that aim at accounting for such ability. One group of models propose a strict relationship between prediction and language production mechanisms. In this review, we first introduce very briefly the concept of predictive processing during language comprehension. Secondly, we focus on models that attribute a prominent role to language production and sensorimotor processing in language prediction ("prediction-by-production" models). Contextually, we provide a summary of studies that investigated the role of speech production and auditory perception on language comprehension/prediction tasks in healthy, typical participants. Then, we provide an overview of the limited existing literature on specific atypical/clinical populations that may represent suitable testing ground for such models-i.e., populations with impaired speech production and auditory perception mechanisms. Ultimately, we suggest a more widely and in-depth testing of prediction-by-production accounts, and the involvement of atypical populations both for model testing and as targets for possible novel speech/language treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Gastaldon
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Noemi Bonfiglio
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- BCBL-Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Francesco Vespignani
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "I-APPROVE-International Auditory Processing Project in Venice", University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Francesca Peressotti
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "I-APPROVE-International Auditory Processing Project in Venice", University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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3
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Irani F, Mock JR, Myers JC, Johnson J, Golob EJ. A novel non-word speech preparation task to increase stuttering frequency in experimental settings for longitudinal research. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2023; 105:106353. [PMID: 37331327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2023.106353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The variable and intermittent nature of stuttering makes it difficult to consistently elicit a sufficient number of stuttered trials for longitudinal experimental research. This study tests the efficacy of using non-word pairs that phonetically mimic English words with no associated meaning, to reliably elicit balanced numbers of stuttering and fluent trials over multiple sessions. The study also evaluated the effect of non-word length on stuttering frequency, the consistency of stuttering frequency across sessions, and potential carry-over effects of increased stuttering frequency in the experimental task to conversational and reading speech after the task. METHODS Twelve adults who stutter completed multiple sessions (mean of 4.8 sessions) where they were video-recorded during pre-task reading and conversation, followed by an experimental task where they read 400 non-word pairs randomized for each session, and then a post-task reading and conversation sample. RESULTS On average, across sessions and participants, non-word pairs consistently yielded a balanced distribution of fluent (60.7%) and stuttered (39.3%) trials over five sessions. Non-word length had a positive effect on stuttering frequency. No carryover effects from experimental to post-task conversation and reading were found. CONCLUSIONS Non-word pairs effectively and consistently elicited balanced proportions of stuttered and fluent trials. This approach can be used to gather longitudinal data to better understand the neurophysiological and behavioral correlates of stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzan Irani
- Department of Communication Disorders, Texas State University, Round Rock Campus.
| | - Jeffrey R Mock
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, San Antonio
| | - John C Myers
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, San Antonio; Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Department of Communication Disorders, Texas State University, Round Rock Campus
| | - Edward J Golob
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, San Antonio
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4
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Furlanis G, Busan P, Formaggio E, Menichelli A, Lunardelli A, Ajcevic M, Pesavento V, Manganotti P. Stuttering-Like Dysfluencies as a Consequence of Long COVID-19. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:415-430. [PMID: 36749838 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We present two patients who developed neurogenic stuttering after long COVID-19 related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS AND RESULTS Both patients experienced both physical (e.g., fatigue) and cognitive difficulties, which led to impaired function of attention, lexical retrieval, and memory consolidation. Both patients had new-onset stuttering-like speech dysfluencies: Blocks and repetitions were especially evident at the initial part of words and sentences, sometimes accompanied by effortful and associated movements (e.g., facial grimaces and oro-facial movements). Neuropsychological evaluations confirmed the presence of difficulties in cognitive tasks, while neurophysiological evaluations (i.e., electroencephalography) suggested the presence of "slowed" patterns of brain activity. Neurogenic stuttering and cognitive difficulties were evident for 4-5 months after negativization of SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab, with gradual improvement and near-to-complete recovery. CONCLUSIONS It is now evident that SARS-CoV-2 infection may significantly involve the central nervous system, also resulting in severe and long-term consequences, even if the precise mechanisms are still unknown. In the present report, long COVID-19 resulted in neurogenic stuttering, as the likely consequence of a "slowed" metabolism of (pre)frontal and sensorimotor brain regions (as suggested by the present and previous clinical evidence). As a consequence, the pathophysiological mechanisms related to the appearance of neurogenic stuttering have been hypothesized, which help to better understand the broader and possible neurological consequences of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Furlanis
- Clinical Unit of Neurology, University Hospital and Health Services of Trieste, ASUGI, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Emanuela Formaggio
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Alina Menichelli
- Neuropsychological Service, Clinical Unit of Rehabilitation, University Hospital and Health Services of Trieste, ASUGI, Italy
| | - Alberta Lunardelli
- Neuropsychological Service, Clinical Unit of Rehabilitation, University Hospital and Health Services of Trieste, ASUGI, Italy
| | - Milos Ajcevic
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Italy
| | - Valentina Pesavento
- Neuropsychological Service, Clinical Unit of Rehabilitation, University Hospital and Health Services of Trieste, ASUGI, Italy
| | - Paolo Manganotti
- Clinical Unit of Neurology, University Hospital and Health Services of Trieste, ASUGI, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
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5
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Gastaldon S, Busan P, Arcara G, Peressotti F. Inefficient speech-motor control affects predictive speech comprehension: atypical electrophysiological correlates in stuttering. Cereb Cortex 2023:6995383. [PMID: 36682885 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Listeners predict upcoming information during language comprehension. However, how this ability is implemented is still largely unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis proposing that language production mechanisms have a role in prediction. We studied 2 electroencephalographic correlates of predictability during speech comprehension-pre-target alpha-beta (8-30 Hz) power decrease and the post-target N400 event-related potential effect-in a population with impaired speech-motor control, i.e. adults who stutter (AWS), compared to typically fluent adults (TFA). Participants listened to sentences that could either constrain towards a target word or not, modulating its predictability. As a complementary task, participants also performed context-driven word production. Compared to TFA, AWS not only displayed atypical neural responses in production, but, critically, they showed a different pattern also in comprehension. Specifically, while TFA showed the expected pre-target power decrease, AWS showed a power increase in frontal regions, associated with speech-motor control. In addition, the post-target N400 effect was reduced for AWS with respect to TFA. Finally, we found that production and comprehension power changes were positively correlated in TFA, but not in AWS. Overall, the results support the idea that processes and neural structures prominently devoted to speech planning also support prediction during speech comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Gastaldon
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Via Giuseppe Orus 2/B, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Busan
- IRCCS Ospedale San Camillo, Via Alberoni 70, Lido (VE) 30126, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS Ospedale San Camillo, Via Alberoni 70, Lido (VE) 30126, Italy
| | - Francesca Peressotti
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Via Giuseppe Orus 2/B, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy.,Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "I-APPROVE-International Auditory Processing Project in Venice", University of Padova, Via Belzoni 160, Padova (PD) 35121, Italy
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6
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Das A, Mock J, Irani F, Huang Y, Najafirad P, Golob E. Multimodal explainable AI predicts upcoming speech behavior in adults who stutter. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:912798. [PMID: 35979337 PMCID: PMC9376608 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.912798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A key goal of cognitive neuroscience is to better understand how dynamic brain activity relates to behavior. Such dynamics, in terms of spatial and temporal patterns of brain activity, are directly measured with neurophysiological methods such as EEG, but can also be indirectly expressed by the body. Autonomic nervous system activity is the best-known example, but, muscles in the eyes and face can also index brain activity. Mostly parallel lines of artificial intelligence research show that EEG and facial muscles both encode information about emotion, pain, attention, and social interactions, among other topics. In this study, we examined adults who stutter (AWS) to understand the relations between dynamic brain and facial muscle activity and predictions about future behavior (fluent or stuttered speech). AWS can provide insight into brain-behavior dynamics because they naturally fluctuate between episodes of fluent and stuttered speech behavior. We focused on the period when speech preparation occurs, and used EEG and facial muscle activity measured from video to predict whether the upcoming speech would be fluent or stuttered. An explainable self-supervised multimodal architecture learned the temporal dynamics of both EEG and facial muscle movements during speech preparation in AWS, and predicted fluent or stuttered speech at 80.8% accuracy (chance=50%). Specific EEG and facial muscle signals distinguished fluent and stuttered trials, and systematically varied from early to late speech preparation time periods. The self-supervised architecture successfully identified multimodal activity that predicted upcoming behavior on a trial-by-trial basis. This approach could be applied to understanding the neural mechanisms driving variable behavior and symptoms in a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The combination of direct measures of neural activity and simple video data may be applied to developing technologies that estimate brain state from subtle bodily signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Das
- Secure AI and Autonomy Laboratory, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jeffrey Mock
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Farzan Irani
- Department of Communication Disorders, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
| | - Yufei Huang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Peyman Najafirad
- Secure AI and Autonomy Laboratory, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Edward Golob
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
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7
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Korzeczek A, Neef NE, Steinmann I, Paulus W, Sommer M. Stuttering severity relates to frontotemporal low-beta synchronization during pre-speech preparation. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 138:84-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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8
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Zhao L, Lian M. Lexical Planning in People Who Stutter: A Defect in Lexical Encoding or the Planning Scope? Front Psychol 2021; 12:581304. [PMID: 33708156 PMCID: PMC7940678 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.581304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental stuttering is a widely discussed speech fluency disorder. Research on its mechanism has focused on an atypical interface between the planning (PLAN) and execution (EX) processes, known collectively as the EXPLAN model. However, it remains unclear how this atypical interface influences people who stutter. A straightforward assumption is that stuttering speakers adopt a smaller scope of speech planning, whereas a defect in word retrieval can be confounding. To shed light on this issue, we took the semantic blocking effect as an index to examine lexical planning in word and phrase production. In Experiment 1, for word production, pictures from the same semantic category were combined to form homogeneous blocks, and pictures from different categories were combined to form heterogeneous blocks. A typical effect of semantic blocking showing longer naming latencies for homogeneous blocks than heterogeneous ones was observed for both stuttering and fluent speakers. However, this effect was smaller for stuttering speakers, when it was subject to lexical defects in stuttering. In Experiment 2, for a conjoined noun phrase production task, the pictures referring to the first noun were manipulated into homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. The semantic blocking effect was also much smaller for stuttering speakers, indicating a smaller scope of lexical planning. Therefore, the results provided more evidence in support of the EXPLAN model and indicated that a smaller scope of lexical planning rather than lexical defects causes the atypical interface for stuttering. Moreover, a comparison between these two tasks showed that the study findings have implications for syntactic defects in stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Zhao
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.,Center of Collaborative Innovation for Assessment and Promotion of Mental Health, Tianjin, China
| | - Miaoqing Lian
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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9
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Busan P. Developmental stuttering and the role of the supplementary motor cortex. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2020; 64:105763. [PMID: 32361030 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2020.105763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Developmental stuttering is a frequent neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex neurobiological basis. Robust neural markers of stuttering include imbalanced activity of speech and motor related brain regions, and their impaired structural connectivity. The dynamic interaction of cortical regions is regulated by the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical system with the supplementary motor area constituting a crucial cortical site. The SMA integrates information from different neural circuits, and manages information about motor programs such as self-initiated movements, motor sequences, and motor learning. Abnormal functioning of SMA is increasingly reported in stuttering, and has been recently indicated as an additional "neural marker" of DS: anatomical and functional data have documented abnormal structure and activity of the SMA, especially in motor and speech networks. Its connectivity is often impaired, especially when considering networks of the left hemisphere. Compatibly, recent data suggest that, in DS, SMA is part of a poorly synchronized neural network, thus resulting in a likely substrate for the appearance of DS symptoms. However, as evident when considering neural models of stuttering, the role of SMA has not been fully clarified. Herein, the available evidence is reviewed, which highlights the role of the SMA in DS as a neural "hub", receiving and conveying altered information, thus "gating" the release of correct or abnormal motor plans.
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10
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Chang SE, Guenther FH. Involvement of the Cortico-Basal Ganglia-Thalamocortical Loop in Developmental Stuttering. Front Psychol 2020; 10:3088. [PMID: 32047456 PMCID: PMC6997432 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Stuttering is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that has to date eluded a clear explication of its pathophysiological bases. In this review, we utilize the Directions Into Velocities of Articulators (DIVA) neurocomputational modeling framework to mechanistically interpret relevant findings from the behavioral and neurological literatures on stuttering. Within this theoretical framework, we propose that the primary impairment underlying stuttering behavior is malfunction in the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical (hereafter, cortico-BG) loop that is responsible for initiating speech motor programs. This theoretical perspective predicts three possible loci of impaired neural processing within the cortico-BG loop that could lead to stuttering behaviors: impairment within the basal ganglia proper; impairment of axonal projections between cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and thalamus; and impairment in cortical processing. These theoretical perspectives are presented in detail, followed by a review of empirical data that make reference to these three possibilities. We also highlight any differences that are present in the literature based on examining adults versus children, which give important insights into potential core deficits associated with stuttering versus compensatory changes that occur in the brain as a result of having stuttered for many years in the case of adults who stutter. We conclude with outstanding questions in the field and promising areas for future studies that have the potential to further advance mechanistic understanding of neural deficits underlying persistent developmental stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Radiology, Cognitive Imaging Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Frank H. Guenther
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
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11
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Jenson D, Bowers AL, Hudock D, Saltuklaroglu T. The Application of EEG Mu Rhythm Measures to Neurophysiological Research in Stuttering. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 13:458. [PMID: 31998103 PMCID: PMC6965028 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficits in basal ganglia-based inhibitory and timing circuits along with sensorimotor internal modeling mechanisms are thought to underlie stuttering. However, much remains to be learned regarding the precise manner how these deficits contribute to disrupting both speech and cognitive functions in those who stutter. Herein, we examine the suitability of electroencephalographic (EEG) mu rhythms for addressing these deficits. We review some previous findings of mu rhythm activity differentiating stuttering from non-stuttering individuals and present some new preliminary findings capturing stuttering-related deficits in working memory. Mu rhythms are characterized by spectral peaks in alpha (8-13 Hz) and beta (14-25 Hz) frequency bands (mu-alpha and mu-beta). They emanate from premotor/motor regions and are influenced by basal ganglia and sensorimotor function. More specifically, alpha peaks (mu-alpha) are sensitive to basal ganglia-based inhibitory signals and sensory-to-motor feedback. Beta peaks (mu-beta) are sensitive to changes in timing and capture motor-to-sensory (i.e., forward model) projections. Observing simultaneous changes in mu-alpha and mu-beta across the time-course of specific events provides a rich window for observing neurophysiological deficits associated with stuttering in both speech and cognitive tasks and can provide a better understanding of the functional relationship between these stuttering symptoms. We review how independent component analysis (ICA) can extract mu rhythms from raw EEG signals in speech production tasks, such that changes in alpha and beta power are mapped to myogenic activity from articulators. We review findings from speech production and auditory discrimination tasks demonstrating that mu-alpha and mu-beta are highly sensitive to capturing sensorimotor and basal ganglia deficits associated with stuttering with high temporal precision. Novel findings from a non-word repetition (working memory) task are also included. They show reduced mu-alpha suppression in a stuttering group compared to a typically fluent group. Finally, we review current limitations and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Jenson
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Andrew L. Bowers
- Epley Center for Health Professions, Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Daniel Hudock
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, United States
| | - Tim Saltuklaroglu
- College of Health Professions, Department of Audiology and Speech-Pathology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Knoxville, TN, United States
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12
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Dinoto A, Busan P, Formaggio E, Bertolotti C, Menichelli A, Stokelj D, Manganotti P. Stuttering-like hesitation in speech during acute/post-acute phase of immune-mediated encephalitis. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2018; 58:70-76. [PMID: 30220403 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neurogenic stuttering may be evident after a lesion/dysfunction of wider neural networks. Here we present a case of acquired stuttering as the consequence of immune-mediated encephalitis. METHODS The case of a 71-year old male who complained about the progressive onset of stuttering and disequilibrium as the consequence of immune-mediated encephalitis, is here reported. Administration of corticosteroid methylprednisolone was useful to recover from impairments. An in depth analysis of the electroencephalography (relative power of brain rhythms and source localization) during different phases of the disease/treatment was also realized. RESULTS The patient showed a stuttering-like slowed speech with blocks and repetitions, especially at the beginning of words/sentences, with associated movements of the oro-facial muscles. Speech and general motor skills resulted slowed in their preparation/execution phases. Electroencephalography showed a "slowed" pattern, with delta/theta waves mainly in the prefrontal cortex and in sensorimotor networks. CONCLUSION This case reports a probable immune-mediated encephalitis that resulted in acquired stuttering. The effect of "slowed" oscillatory brain activity on motor skills requesting sequencing and fine coordination (e.g. speech) could result in less "synchronized" systems, easily prone to disruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Dinoto
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Pierpaolo Busan
- Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Formaggio
- Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy.
| | - Claudio Bertolotti
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Alina Menichelli
- Neuropsychological Unit, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, ASUI Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
| | - David Stokelj
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Paolo Manganotti
- Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
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13
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Liu M, Xing Y, Zhao L, Deng N, Li W. Abnormal processing of prosodic boundary in adults who stutter: An ERP study. Brain Cogn 2018; 128:17-27. [PMID: 30423511 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Characterized by involuntary disruptions in fluency speech, adults who stutter (AWS) are different from normally fluent speakers (NFS) in speech-language processing indices of phonological, semantic, and syntactic information coding. However, the neural base of the prosodic information (i.e. prosodic boundary) processing in AWS is still elusive at this point. To investigate this question, Chinese temporarily ambiguous phrases (narrative-object/modifier-noun construction) were presented in pairs to AWS and NFS in both lexical judgment and structural judgment task by using structural priming paradigm. Results showed that both AWS and NFS produced prosodic priming in the two tasks, however, AWS were more sensitive to the priming than NFS in the midline. Besides, unlike the greater right hemisphere involvement of priming effect for NFS, AWS exhibited a left hemisphere asymmetry in the lateral areas. In addition, structural judgment task elicited stronger prosodic priming effect than lexical judgment task for both groups. These results indicate that the mode of prosodic priming for AWS is different from NFS, and the priming effect is influenced by the experimental task that participants completed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liu
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Yushan Xing
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Liming Zhao
- Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300074, China
| | - Nali Deng
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China
| | - Weijun Li
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China.
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14
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Myers JC, Irani F, Golob EJ, Mock JR, Robbins KA. Single-Trial Classification of Disfluent Brain States in Adults Who Stutter. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYSTEMS, MAN, AND CYBERNETICS 2018; 2018:10.1109/smc.2018.00019. [PMID: 34720566 PMCID: PMC8553248 DOI: 10.1109/smc.2018.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Normal human speech requires precise coordination between motor planning and sensory processing. Speech disfluencies are common when children learn to talk, but usually abate with time. About 5% of children experience stuttering. For most, this resolves within a year. However, for approximately 1% of the world population, stuttering continues into adulthood, which is termed 'persistent developmental stuttering'. Most stuttering events occur at the beginning of an utterance. So, in principle, brain activity before speaking should differ between fluent and stuttered speech. Here we present a method for classifying brain network states associated with fluent vs. stuttered speech on a single trial basis. Brain activity was recorded with EEG before people who stutter read aloud pseudo-word pairs. Offline independent component analysis (ICA) was used to identify the independent neural sources that underlie speech preparation. A time window selection algorithm extracted spectral power and coherence data from salient windows specific to each neural source. A stepwise linear discriminant analysis (sLDA) algorithm predicted fluent vs. stuttered speech for 81% of trials in two subjects. These results support the feasibility of developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) system to detect stuttering before it occurs, with potential for therapeutic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Myers
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, United States
| | - Farzan Irani
- Department of Communication, Disorders Texas State University, San Marcos, United States
| | - Edward J Golob
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, United States line
| | - Jeffrey R Mock
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, United States
| | - Kay A Robbins
- Department of Computer Science, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, United States line
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15
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Chang SE, Garnett EO, Etchell A, Chow HM. Functional and Neuroanatomical Bases of Developmental Stuttering: Current Insights. Neuroscientist 2018; 25:566-582. [PMID: 30264661 DOI: 10.1177/1073858418803594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Affecting 5% of all preschool-aged children and 1% of the general population, developmental stuttering-also called childhood-onset fluency disorder-is a complex, multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by frequent disruption of the fluent flow of speech. Over the past two decades, neuroimaging studies of both children and adults who stutter have begun to provide significant insights into the neurobiological bases of stuttering. This review highlights convergent findings from this body of literature with a focus on functional and structural neuroimaging results that are supported by theoretically driven neurocomputational models of speech production. Updated views on possible mechanisms of stuttering onset and persistence, and perspectives on promising areas for future research into the mechanisms of stuttering, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily O Garnett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Andrew Etchell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ho Ming Chow
- Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA
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16
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Sengupta R, Shah S, Loucks TMJ, Pelczarski K, Scott Yaruss J, Gore K, Nasir SM. Cortical dynamics of disfluency in adults who stutter. Physiol Rep 2018; 5:5/9/e13194. [PMID: 28483857 PMCID: PMC5430117 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Stuttering is a disorder of speech production whose origins have been traced to the central nervous system. One of the factors that may underlie stuttering is aberrant neural miscommunication within the speech motor network. It is thus argued that disfluency (any interruption in the forward flow of speech) in adults who stutter (AWS) could be associated with anomalous cortical dynamics. Aberrant brain activity has been demonstrated in AWS in the absence of overt disfluency, but recording neural activity during disfluency is more challenging. The paradigm adopted here took an important step that involved overt reading of long and complex speech tokens under continuous EEG recording. Anomalies in cortical dynamics preceding disfluency were assessed by subtracting out neural activity for fluent utterances from their disfluent counterparts. Differences in EEG spectral power involving alpha, beta, and gamma bands, as well as anomalies in phase-coherence involving the gamma band, were observed prior to the production of the disfluent utterances. These findings provide novel evidence for compromised cortical dynamics that directly precede disfluency in AWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranit Sengupta
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Shalin Shah
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Torrey M J Loucks
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Kristin Pelczarski
- School of Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - J Scott Yaruss
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Sazzad M Nasir
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
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17
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Etchell AC, Civier O, Ballard KJ, Sowman PF. A systematic literature review of neuroimaging research on developmental stuttering between 1995 and 2016. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2018; 55:6-45. [PMID: 28778745 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Revised: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Stuttering is a disorder that affects millions of people all over the world. Over the past two decades, there has been a great deal of interest in investigating the neural basis of the disorder. This systematic literature review is intended to provide a comprehensive summary of the neuroimaging literature on developmental stuttering. It is a resource for researchers to quickly and easily identify relevant studies for their areas of interest and enable them to determine the most appropriate methodology to utilize in their work. The review also highlights gaps in the literature in terms of methodology and areas of research. METHODS We conducted a systematic literature review on neuroimaging studies on developmental stuttering according to the PRISMA guidelines. We searched for articles in the pubmed database containing "stuttering" OR "stammering" AND either "MRI", "PET", "EEG", "MEG", "TMS"or "brain" that were published between 1995/01/01 and 2016/01/01. RESULTS The search returned a total of 359 items with an additional 26 identified from a manual search. Of these, there were a total of 111 full text articles that met criteria for inclusion in the systematic literature review. We also discuss neuroimaging studies on developmental stuttering published throughout 2016. The discussion of the results is organized first by methodology and second by population (i.e., adults or children) and includes tables that contain all items returned by the search. CONCLUSIONS There are widespread abnormalities in the structural architecture and functional organization of the brains of adults and children who stutter. These are evident not only in speech tasks, but also non-speech tasks. Future research should make greater use of functional neuroimaging and noninvasive brain stimulation, and employ structural methodologies that have greater sensitivity. Newly planned studies should also investigate sex differences, focus on augmenting treatment, examine moments of dysfluency and longitudinally or cross-sectionally investigate developmental trajectories in stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Etchell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, MI, United States; Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Oren Civier
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Kirrie J Ballard
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul F Sowman
- Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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18
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Kell CA, Neumann K, Behrens M, von Gudenberg AW, Giraud AL. Speaking-related changes in cortical functional connectivity associated with assisted and spontaneous recovery from developmental stuttering. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2018; 55:135-144. [PMID: 28216127 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We previously reported speaking-related activity changes associated with assisted recovery induced by a fluency shaping therapy program and unassisted recovery from developmental stuttering (Kell et al., Brain 2009). While assisted recovery re-lateralized activity to the left hemisphere, unassisted recovery was specifically associated with the activation of the left BA 47/12 in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. These findings suggested plastic changes in speaking-related functional connectivity between left hemispheric speech network nodes. We reanalyzed these data involving 13 stuttering men before and after fluency shaping, 13 men who recovered spontaneously from their stuttering, and 13 male control participants, and examined functional connectivity during overt vs. covert reading by means of psychophysiological interactions computed across left cortical regions involved in articulation control. Persistent stuttering was associated with reduced auditory-motor coupling and enhanced integration of somatosensory feedback between the supramarginal gyrus and the prefrontal cortex. Assisted recovery reduced this hyper-connectivity and increased functional connectivity between the articulatory motor cortex and the auditory feedback processing anterior superior temporal gyrus. In spontaneous recovery, both auditory-motor coupling and integration of somatosensory feedback were normalized. In addition, activity in the left orbitofrontal cortex and superior cerebellum appeared uncoupled from the rest of the speech production network. These data suggest that therapy and spontaneous recovery normalizes the left hemispheric speaking-related activity via an improvement of auditory-motor mapping. By contrast, long-lasting unassisted recovery from stuttering is additionally supported by a functional isolation of the superior cerebellum from the rest of the speech production network, through the pivotal left BA 47/12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian A Kell
- Brain Imaging Center and Department of Neurology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Katrin Neumann
- Department of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, St. Elisabeth-Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marion Behrens
- Brain Imaging Center and Department of Neurology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Anne-Lise Giraud
- Département des Neuroscience Fondamentales, Université de Genève, Switzerland
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19
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Metzger FL, Auer T, Helms G, Paulus W, Frahm J, Sommer M, Neef NE. Shifted dynamic interactions between subcortical nuclei and inferior frontal gyri during response preparation in persistent developmental stuttering. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:165-182. [PMID: 28741037 PMCID: PMC5772149 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1476-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Persistent developmental stuttering is associated with basal ganglia dysfunction or dopamine dysregulation. Here, we studied whole-brain functional connectivity to test how basal ganglia structures coordinate and reorganize sensorimotor brain networks in stuttering. To this end, adults who stutter and fluent speakers (control participants) performed a response anticipation paradigm in the MRI scanner. The preparation of a manual Go/No-Go response reliably produced activity in the basal ganglia and thalamus and particularly in the substantia nigra. Strikingly, in adults who stutter, substantia nigra activity correlated positively with stuttering severity. Furthermore, functional connectivity analyses yielded altered task-related network formations in adults who stutter compared to fluent speakers. Specifically, in adults who stutter, the globus pallidus and the thalamus showed increased network synchronization with the inferior frontal gyrus. This implies dynamic shifts in the response preparation-related network organization through the basal ganglia in the context of a non-speech motor task in stuttering. Here we discuss current findings in the traditional framework of how D1 and D2 receptor activity shapes focused movement selection, thereby suggesting a disproportional involvement of the direct and the indirect pathway in stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Luise Metzger
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tibor Auer
- Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany.,MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Gunther Helms
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Walter Paulus
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens Frahm
- Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Martin Sommer
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nicole E Neef
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany. .,Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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20
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Busan P, Battaglini P, Sommer M. Transcranial magnetic stimulation in developmental stuttering: Relations with previous neurophysiological research and future perspectives. Clin Neurophysiol 2017; 128:952-964. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2017.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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