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Curtis M, Bayat M, Garic D, Alfano AR, Hernandez M, Curzon M, Bejarano A, Tremblay P, Graziano P, Dick AS. Structural Development of Speech Networks in Young Children at Risk for Speech Disorder. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.23.609470. [PMID: 39229017 PMCID: PMC11370569 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.23.609470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Characterizing the structural development of the neural speech network in early childhood is important for understanding speech acquisition. To investigate speech in the developing brain, 94 children aged 4-7-years-old at risk for early speech disorder were scanned using diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Additionally, each child completed the Syllable Repetition Task (SRT), a validated measure of phoneme articulation. The DWI data were modeled using multi-compartment restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) to measure restricted and hindered diffusion properties in both grey and white matter. Consequently, we analyzed the diffusion data using both whole brain analysis, and automated fiber quantification (AFQ) analysis to establish tract profiles for each of six fiber pathways thought to be important for supporting speech development. In the whole brain analysis, we found that SRT performance was associated with restricted diffusion in bilateral inferior frontal gyrus ( pars opercularis ), right pre-supplementary/ supplementary motor area (pre-SMA/SMA), and bilateral cerebellar grey matter ( p < .005). Age moderated these associations in left pars opercularis and frontal aslant tract (FAT). However, in both cases only the cerebellar findings survived a cluster correction. We also found associations between SRT performance and restricted diffusion in cortical association fiber pathways, especially left FAT, and in the cerebellar peduncles. Analyses using automatic fiber quantification (AFQ) highlighted differences in high and low performing children along specific tract profiles, most notably in left but not right FAT. These findings suggest that individual differences in speech performance are reflected in structural gray and white matter differences as measured by restricted and hindered diffusion metrics, and offer important insights into developing brain networks supporting speech in very young children.
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2
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Gallet C, Clavreul A, Bernard F, Menei P, Lemée JM. Frontal aslant tract in the non-dominant hemisphere: A systematic review of anatomy, functions, and surgical applications. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:1025866. [DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.1025866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of both the spatial organization and functions of white-matter fiber tracts is steadily increasing. We report here the anatomy and functions of the frontal aslant tract (FAT) in the non-dominant hemisphere (usually the right hemisphere). Despite the structural symmetry between the right and left FAT, these two tracts seem to display functional asymmetry, with several brain functions in common, but others, such as visuospatial and social cognition, music processing, shifting attention or working memory, more exclusively associated with the right FAT. Further studies are required to determine whether damage to the right FAT causes permanent cognitive impairment. Such studies will constitute the best means of testing whether this tract is a critical pathway that must be taken into account during neurosurgical procedures and the essential tasks to be incorporated into intraoperative monitoring during awake craniotomy.
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Zhong AJ, Baldo JV, Dronkers NF, Ivanova MV. The unique role of the frontal aslant tract in speech and language processing. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 34:103020. [PMID: 35526498 PMCID: PMC9095886 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The frontal aslant tract (FAT) is a recently described intralobar tract that connects the superior and inferior frontal gyri. The FAT has been implicated in various speech and language processes and disorders, including motor speech impairments, stuttering disorders, opercular syndrome, and verbal fluency, but the specific function(s) of the FAT have yet to be elucidated. In the current study, we aimed to address this knowledge gap by investigating the underlying role that the FAT plays in motor aspects of speech and language abilities in post-stroke aphasia. Our goals were three-fold: 1) To identify which specific motor speech or language abilities are impacted by FAT damage by utilizing a powerful imaging analysis method, High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) tractography; 2) To determine whether damage to the FAT is associated with functional deficits on a range of motor speech and language tasks even when accounting for cortical damage to adjacent cortical regions; and 3) To explore whether subsections of the FAT (lateral and medial segments) play distinct roles in motor speech performance. We hypothesized that damage to the FAT would be most strongly associated with motor speech performance in comparison to language tasks. We analyzed HARDI data from thirty-three people with aphasia (PWA) with a history of chronic left hemisphere stroke. FAT metrics were related to scores on several speech and language tests: the Motor Speech Evaluation (MSE), the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) aphasia quotient and subtests, and the Boston Naming Test (BNT). Our results indicated that the integrity of the FAT was strongly associated with the MSE as predicted, and weakly negatively associated with WAB subtest scores including Naming, Comprehension, and Repetition, likely reflecting the fact that performance on these WAB subtests is associated with damage to posterior areas of the brain that are unlikely to be damaged with a frontal lesion. We also performed hierarchical stepwise regressions to predict language function based on FAT properties and lesion load to surrounding cortical areas. After accounting for the contributions of the inferior frontal gyrus, the ventral precentral gyrus, and the superior precentral gyrus of the insula, the FAT still remained a significant predictor of MSE apraxia scores. Our results further showed that the medial and lateral subsections of the FAT did not appear to play distinct roles but rather may indicate normal anatomical variations of the FAT. Overall, current results indicate that the FAT plays a specific and unique role in motor speech. These results further our understanding of the role that white matter tracts play in speech and language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Zhong
- School of Medicine, New York Medical College, 40 Sunshine Cottage Road, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; Center for Language, Imaging, Mind & Brain, VA Northern California Healthcare System, Martinez, CA, USA
| | - Juliana V Baldo
- Center for Language, Imaging, Mind & Brain, VA Northern California Healthcare System, Martinez, CA, USA
| | - Nina F Dronkers
- Aphasia Recovery Lab, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Maria V Ivanova
- Center for Language, Imaging, Mind & Brain, VA Northern California Healthcare System, Martinez, CA, USA; Aphasia Recovery Lab, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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4
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Neef NE, Korzeczek A, Primaßin A, Wolff von Gudenberg A, Dechent P, Riedel CH, Paulus W, Sommer M. White matter tract strength correlates with therapy outcome in persistent developmental stuttering. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:3357-3374. [PMID: 35415866 PMCID: PMC9248304 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent stuttering is a prevalent neurodevelopmental speech disorder, which presents with involuntary speech blocks, sound and syllable repetitions, and sound prolongations. Affected individuals often struggle with negative feelings, elevated anxiety, and low self-esteem. Neuroimaging studies frequently link persistent stuttering with cortical alterations and dysfunctional cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical loops; dMRI data also point toward connectivity changes of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and the frontal aslant tract (FAT). Both tracts are involved in speech and language functions, and the FAT also supports inhibitory control and conflict monitoring. Whether the two tracts are involved in therapy-associated improvements and how they relate to therapeutic outcomes is currently unknown. Here, we analyzed dMRI data of 22 patients who participated in a fluency-shaping program, 18 patients not participating in therapy, and 27 fluent control participants, measured 1 year apart. We used diffusion tractography to segment the SLF and FAT bilaterally and to quantify their microstructural properties before and after a fluency-shaping program. Participants learned to speak with soft articulation, pitch, and voicing during a 2-week on-site boot camp and computer-assisted biofeedback-based daily training for 1 year. Therapy had no impact on the microstructural properties of the two tracts. Yet, after therapy, stuttering severity correlated positively with left SLF fractional anisotropy, whereas relief from the social-emotional burden to stutter correlated negatively with right FAT fractional anisotropy. Thus, posttreatment, speech motor performance relates to the left dorsal stream, while the experience of the adverse impact of stuttering relates to the structure recently associated with conflict monitoring and action inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E Neef
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Korzeczek
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annika Primaßin
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Fachbereich Gesundheit, FH Münster University of Applied Sciences, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Peter Dechent
- Department of Cognitive Neurology, MR Research in Neurosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Heiner Riedel
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Walter Paulus
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Martin Sommer
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Geriatrics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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5
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White matter connectivity in neonates at risk of stuttering: Preliminary data. Neurosci Lett 2022; 781:136655. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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6
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Gracco VL, Sares AG, Koirala N. Structural brain network topological alterations in stuttering adults. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac058. [PMID: 35368614 PMCID: PMC8971894 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Persistent developmental stuttering is a speech disorder that primarily affects normal speech fluency but encompasses a complex set of symptoms ranging from reduced sensorimotor integration to socioemotional challenges. Here, we investigated the whole brain structural connectome and its topological alterations in adults who stutter. Diffusion weighted imaging data of 33 subjects (13 adults who stutter and 20 fluent speakers) was obtained along with a stuttering severity evaluation. The structural brain network properties were analyzed using Network-based statistics and graph theoretical measures particularly focusing on community structure, network hubs and controllability. Bayesian power estimation was used to assess the reliability of the structural connectivity differences by examining the effect size. The analysis revealed reliable and wide-spread decreases in connectivity for adults who stutter in regions associated with sensorimotor, cognitive, emotional, and memory-related functions. The community detection algorithms revealed different subnetworks for fluent speakers and adults who stutter, indicating considerable network adaptation in adults who stutter. Average and modal controllability differed between groups in a subnetwork encompassing frontal brain regions and parts of the basal ganglia.
The results revealed extensive structural network alterations and substantial adaptation in neural architecture in adults who stutter well beyond the sensorimotor network. These findings highlight the impact of the neurodevelopmental effects of persistent stuttering on neural organization and the importance of examining the full structural connectome and the network alterations that underscore the behavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent L. Gracco
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA
- School of Communication Sciences & Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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7
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Jossinger S, Sares A, Zislis A, Sury D, Gracco V, Ben-Shachar M. White matter correlates of sensorimotor synchronization in persistent developmental stuttering. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2022; 95:106169. [PMID: 34856426 PMCID: PMC8821245 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Individuals with persistent developmental stuttering display deficits in aligning motor actions to external cues (i.e., sensorimotor synchronization). Diffusion imaging studies point to stuttering-associated differences in dorsal, not ventral, white matter pathways, and in the cerebellar peduncles. Here, we studied microstructural white matter differences between adults who stutter (AWS) and fluent speakers using two complementary approaches to: (a) assess previously reported group differences in white matter diffusivity, and (b) evaluate the relationship between white matter diffusivity and sensorimotor synchronization in each group. METHODS Participants completed a sensorimotor synchronization task and a diffusion MRI scan. We identified the cerebellar peduncles and major dorsal- and ventral-stream language pathways in each individual and assessed correlations between sensorimotor synchronization and diffusion measures along the tracts. RESULTS The results demonstrated group differences in dorsal, not ventral, language tracts, in alignment with prior reports. Specifically, AWS had significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left arcuate fasciculus, and significantly higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the bilateral frontal aslant tract compared to fluent speakers, while no significant group difference was detected in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. We also found significant group differences in both FA and MD of the left middle cerebellar peduncle. Comparing patterns of association with sensorimotor synchronization revealed a novel double dissociation: MD within the left inferior cerebellar peduncle was significantly correlated with mean asynchrony in AWS but not in fluent speakers, while FA within the left arcuate fasciculus was significantly correlated with mean asynchrony in fluent speakers, but not in AWS. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the view that stuttering involves altered connectivity in dorsal tracts and that AWS may rely more heavily on cerebellar tracts to process timing information. Evaluating microstructural associations with sensitive behavioral measures provides a powerful tool for discovering additional functional differences in the underlying connectivity in AWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Jossinger
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Anastasia Sares
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Avital Zislis
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Dana Sury
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Vincent Gracco
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Michal Ben-Shachar
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; The Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Thompson-Lake DGY, Scerri TS, Block S, Turner SJ, Reilly S, Kefalianos E, Bonthrone AF, Helbig I, Bahlo M, Scheffer IE, Hildebrand MS, Liégeois FJ, Morgan AT. Atypical development of Broca's area in a large family with inherited stuttering. Brain 2021; 145:1177-1188. [PMID: 35296891 PMCID: PMC9724773 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental stuttering is a condition of speech dysfluency, characterized by pauses, blocks, prolongations and sound or syllable repetitions. It affects around 1% of the population, with potential detrimental effects on mental health and long-term employment. Accumulating evidence points to a genetic aetiology, yet gene-brain associations remain poorly understood due to a lack of MRI studies in affected families. Here we report the first neuroimaging study of developmental stuttering in a family with autosomal dominant inheritance of persistent stuttering. We studied a four-generation family, 16 family members were included in genotyping analysis. T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI scans were conducted on seven family members (six male; aged 9-63 years) with two age and sex matched controls without stuttering (n = 14). Using Freesurfer, we analysed cortical morphology (cortical thickness, surface area and local gyrification index) and basal ganglia volumes. White matter integrity in key speech and language tracts (i.e. frontal aslant tract and arcuate fasciculus) was also analysed using MRtrix and probabilistic tractography. We identified a significant age by group interaction effect for cortical thickness in the left hemisphere pars opercularis (Broca's area). In affected family members this region failed to follow the typical trajectory of age-related thinning observed in controls. Surface area analysis revealed the middle frontal gyrus region was reduced bilaterally in the family (all cortical morphometry significance levels set at a vertex-wise threshold of P < 0.01, corrected for multiple comparisons). Both the left and right globus pallidus were larger in the family than in the control group (left P = 0.017; right P = 0.037), and a larger right globus pallidus was associated with more severe stuttering (rho = 0.86, P = 0.01). No white matter differences were identified. Genotyping identified novel loci on chromosomes 1 and 4 that map with the stuttering phenotype. Our findings denote disruption within the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical network. The lack of typical development of these structures reflects the anatomical basis of the abnormal inhibitory control network between Broca's area and the striatum underpinning stuttering in these individuals. This is the first evidence of a neural phenotype in a family with an autosomal dominantly inherited stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas S Scerri
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 305, Australia
| | - Susan Block
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, Australia
| | - Samantha J Turner
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | - Sheena Reilly
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia,Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Australia
| | - Elaina Kefalianos
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia,Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | | | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA,Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 305, Australia
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg 3084, Australia,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville 3052, Australia,Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia,Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | - Michael S Hildebrand
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg 3084, Australia,Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | | | - Angela T Morgan
- Correspondence to: Angela T. Morgan Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Parkville 3052, Australia E-mail:
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9
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Busan P, Moret B, Masina F, Del Ben G, Campana G. Speech Fluency Improvement in Developmental Stuttering Using Non-invasive Brain Stimulation: Insights From Available Evidence. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:662016. [PMID: 34456692 PMCID: PMC8386014 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.662016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental stuttering (DS) is a disturbance of the normal rhythm of speech that may be interpreted as very debilitating in the most affected cases. Interventions for DS are historically based on the behavioral modifications of speech patterns (e.g., through speech therapy), which are useful to regain a better speech fluency. However, a great variability in intervention outcomes is normally observed, and no definitive evidence is currently available to resolve stuttering, especially in the case of its persistence in adulthood. In the last few decades, DS has been increasingly considered as a functional disturbance, affecting the correct programming of complex motor sequences such as speech. Compatibly, understanding of the neurophysiological bases of DS has dramatically improved, thanks to neuroimaging, and techniques able to interact with neural tissue functioning [e.g., non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS)]. In this context, the dysfunctional activity of the cortico-basal-thalamo-cortical networks, as well as the defective patterns of connectivity, seems to play a key role, especially in sensorimotor networks. As a consequence, a direct action on the functionality of "defective" or "impaired" brain circuits may help people who stutter to manage dysfluencies in a better way. This may also "potentiate" available interventions, thus favoring more stable outcomes of speech fluency. Attempts aiming at modulating (and improving) brain functioning of people who stutter, realized by using NIBS, are quickly increasing. Here, we will review these recent advancements being applied to the treatment of DS. Insights will be useful not only to assess whether the speech fluency of people who stutter may be ameliorated by acting directly on brain functioning but also will provide further suggestions about the complex and dynamic pathophysiology of DS, where causal effects and "adaptive''/''maladaptive" compensation mechanisms may be strongly overlapped. In conclusion, this review focuses future research toward more specific, targeted, and effective interventions for DS, based on neuromodulation of brain functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Giovanni Del Ben
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Gianluca Campana
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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10
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Jackson ES, Wijeakumar S, Beal DS, Brown B, Zebrowski PM, Spencer JP. Speech planning and execution in children who stutter: Preliminary findings from a fNIRS investigation. J Clin Neurosci 2021; 91:32-42. [PMID: 34373047 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.06.018] [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: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have investigated the neural mechanisms underlying speech production in children who stutter (CWS), despite the critical importance of understanding these mechanisms closer to the time of stuttering onset. The relative contributions of speech planning and execution in CWS therefore are also unknown. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, the current study investigated neural mechanisms of planning and execution in a small sample of 9-12 year-old CWS and controls (N = 12) by implementing two tasks that manipulated speech planning and execution loads. Planning was associated with atypical activation in bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus. Execution was associated with atypical activation in bilateral precentral gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus, as well as right supramarginal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. The CWS exhibited some activation patterns that were similar to the adults who stutter (AWS) as reported in our previous study: atypical planning in frontal areas including left inferior frontal gyrus and atypical execution in fronto-temporo-parietal regions including left precentral gyrus, and right inferior frontal, superior temporal, and supramarginal gyri. However, differences also emerged. Whereas CWS and AWS both appear to exhibit atypical activation in right inferior and supramarginal gyri during execution, only CWS appear to exhibit this same pattern during planning. In addition, the CWS appear to exhibit atypical activation in left inferior frontal and right precentral gyri related to execution, whereas AWS do not. These preliminary results are discussed in the context of possible impairments in sensorimotor integration and inhibitory control for CWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Jackson
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University, 665 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10012, USA.
| | | | - Deryk S Beal
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, 150 Kilgour Road Toronto, Ontario M4G 1R8, Canada; Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada
| | - Bryan Brown
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 239 Water Street, Eau Claire, WI 54702, USA
| | - Patricia M Zebrowski
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - John P Spencer
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Lawrence Stenhouse Building 0.09, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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11
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Kornisch M. Bilinguals who stutter: A cognitive perspective. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2021; 67:105819. [PMID: 33296800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2020.105819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Brain differences, both in structure and executive functioning, have been found in both developmental stuttering and bilingualism. However, the etiology of stuttering remains unknown. The early suggestion that stuttering is a result of brain dysfunction has since received support from various behavioral and neuroimaging studies that have revealed functional and structural brain changes in monolinguals who stutter (MWS). In addition, MWS appear to show deficits in executive control. However, there is a lack of data on bilinguals who stutter (BWS). This literature review is intended to provide an overview of both stuttering and bilingualism as well as synthesize areas of overlap among both lines of research and highlight knowledge gaps in the current literature. METHODS A systematic literature review on both stuttering and bilingualism studies was conducted, searching for articles containing "stuttering" and/or "bilingualism" and either "brain", "executive functions", "executive control", "motor control", "cognitive reserve", or "brain reserve" in the PubMed database. Additional studies were found by examining the reference list of studies that met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS A total of 148 references that met the criteria for inclusion in this paper were used in the review. A comparison of the impact of stuttering or bilingualism on the brain are discussed. CONCLUSION Previous research examining a potential bilingual advantage for BWS is mixed. However, if such an advantage does exist, it appears to offset potential deficits in executive functioning that may be associated with stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Kornisch
- The University of Mississippi, School of Applied Sciences, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, 2301 South Lamar Blvd, Oxford, MS 38655, United States.
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12
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Koenraads SPC, van der Schroeff MP, van Ingen G, Lamballais S, Tiemeier H, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, White T, Franken MC, Muetzel RL. Structural brain differences in pre-adolescents who persist in and recover from stuttering. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 27:102334. [PMID: 32650280 PMCID: PMC7341447 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Brain (micro-)structural differences were found in pre-adolescents who stutter. Persistency was associated with marginally smaller left frontal gray matter volume. Recovery was associated with higher mean diffusivity in white matter tracts. Distinct brain structures implicated in persistence and recovery of stuttering.
Background Stuttering is a complex speech fluency disorder occurring in childhood. In young children, stuttering has been associated with speech-related auditory and motor areas of the brain. During transition into adolescence, the majority of children who stutter (75–80%) will experience remission of their symptoms. The current study evaluated brain (micro-)structural differences between pre-adolescents who persisted in stuttering, those who recovered, and fluently speaking controls. Methods This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort in the Netherlands of children followed from pregnancy onwards. Neuroimaging was performed in 2211 children (mean age: 10 years, range 8–12), of whom 20 persisted in and 77 recovered from stuttering. Brain structure (e.g., gray matter) and microstructure (e.g., diffusion tensor imaging) differences between groups were tested using multiple linear regression. Results Pre-adolescents who persisted in stuttering had marginally lower left superior frontal gray matter volume compared to those with no history of stuttering (β −1344, 95%CI −2407;-280), and those who recovered (β −1825, 95%CI −2999;-650). Pre-adolescents who recovered, compared to those with no history of stuttering, had higher mean diffusivity in the forceps major (β 0.002, 95%CI 0.001;0.004), bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi (β 0.001, 95%CI 0.000;0.001), left corticospinal tract (β 0.003, 95%CI 0.002;0.004), and right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (β 0.001, 95%CI 0.000;0.001). Conclusion Findings suggest that relatively small difference in prefrontal gray matter volume is associated with persistent stuttering, and alterations in white matter tracts are apparent in individuals who recovered. The findings further strengthen the potential relevance of brain (micro-)structure in persistence and recovery from stuttering in pre-adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P C Koenraads
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - M P van der Schroeff
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - G van Ingen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S Lamballais
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - H Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - R J Baatenburg de Jong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - T White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M C Franken
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - R L Muetzel
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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13
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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: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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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14
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Sengupta R, Yaruss JS, Loucks TM, Gracco VL, Pelczarski K, Nasir SM. Theta Modulated Neural Phase Coherence Facilitates Speech Fluency in Adults Who Stutter. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:394. [PMID: 31798431 PMCID: PMC6878001 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Adults who stutter (AWS) display altered patterns of neural phase coherence within the speech motor system preceding disfluencies. These altered patterns may distinguish fluent speech episodes from disfluent ones. Phase coherence is relevant to the study of stuttering because it reflects neural communication within brain networks. In this follow-up study, the oscillatory cortical dynamics preceding fluent speech in AWS and adults who do not stutter (AWNS) were examined during a single-word delayed reading task using electroencephalographic (EEG) techniques. Compared to AWNS, fluent speech preparation in AWS was characterized by a decrease in theta-gamma phase coherence and a corresponding increase in theta-beta coherence level. Higher spectral powers in the beta and gamma bands were also observed preceding fluent utterances by AWS. Overall, there was altered neural communication during speech planning in AWS that provides novel evidence for atypical allocation of feedforward control by AWS even before fluent utterances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranit Sengupta
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - J Scott Yaruss
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Torrey M Loucks
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Kristin Pelczarski
- School of Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Sazzad M Nasir
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States.,Indiana Academy, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, United States
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15
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Correia AI, Branco P, Martins M, Reis AM, Martins N, Castro SL, Lima CF. Resting-state connectivity reveals a role for sensorimotor systems in vocal emotional processing in children. Neuroimage 2019; 201:116052. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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16
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Koenraads SPC, El Marroun H, Muetzel RL, Chang SE, Vernooij MW, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, White T, Franken MC, van der Schroeff MP. Stuttering and gray matter morphometry: A population-based neuroimaging study in young children. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 194:121-131. [PMID: 31085031 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Stuttering is a developmental speech disorder originating in early childhood. We aimed to replicate the association of stuttering and structural morphometry using a large, population-based prospective cohort, the Generation R Study, and explore the neurobiological mechanism of stuttering in children. Twenty-six children with a history of stuttering and 489 fluent speaking peers (ages 6-9) were included in the MRI sub-study. Cortical and subcortical regions of interest were analyzed using linear regression models. Compared to fluent speakers, children with a history of stuttering had less gray matter volume in the left inferior frontal gyrus and supplementary motor area. Exploratory surface-based brain analysis showed thinner cortex in the left inferior frontal gyrus, and in bilateral frontal and parietal areas. These findings corroborate previous studies that reported aberrant brain morphometry in speech motor and auditory regions in children who stutter. Future research is needed to explore the causal nature of this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P C Koenraads
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - H El Marroun
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - R L Muetzel
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S E Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - M W Vernooij
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - R J Baatenburg de Jong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - T White
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M C Franken
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M P van der Schroeff
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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17
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Jackson ES, Wijeakumar S, Beal DS, Brown B, Zebrowski P, Spencer JP. A fNIRS Investigation of Speech Planning and Execution in Adults Who Stutter. Neuroscience 2019; 406:73-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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18
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Busan P, Del Ben G, Russo LR, Bernardini S, Natarelli G, Arcara G, Manganotti P, Battaglini PP. Stuttering as a matter of delay in neural activation: A combined TMS/EEG study. Clin Neurophysiol 2019; 130:61-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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19
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Babaeeghazvini P, Rueda-Delgado LM, Zivari Adab H, Gooijers J, Swinnen S, Daffertshofer A. A combined diffusion-weighted and electroencephalography study on age-related differences in connectivity in the motor network during bimanual performance. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 40:1799-1813. [PMID: 30588749 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We studied the relationship between age-related differences in inter- and intra-hemispheric structural and functional connectivity in the bilateral motor network. Our focus was on the correlation between connectivity and declined motor performance in older adults. Structural and functional connectivity were estimated using diffusion weighted imaging and resting-state electro-encephalography, respectively. A total of 48 young and older healthy participants were measured. In addition, motor performances were assessed using bimanual coordination tasks. To pre-select regions-of-interest (ROIs), a neural model was adopted that accounts for intra-hemispheric functional connectivity between dorsal premotor area (PMd) and primary motor cortex (M1) and inter-hemispheric connections between left and right M1 (M1L and M1R ). Functional connectivity was determined via the weighted phase-lag index (wPLI) in the source-reconstructed beta activity during rest. We quantified structural connectivity using kurtosis anisotropy (KA) values of tracts derived from diffusion tensor-based fiber tractography between the aforementioned areas. In the group of older adults, wPLI values between M1L -M1R were negatively associated with the quality of bimanual motor performance. The additional association between wPLI values of PMdL --M1L and PMdR -M1L supports that functional connectivity with the left hemisphere mediated (bimanual) motor control in older adults. The correlational analysis between the selected structural and functional connections revealed a strong association between wPLI values in the left intra-hemispheric PMdL -M1L pathway and KA values in M1L -M1R and PMdR -M1L pathways in the group of older adults. This suggests that weaker structural connections in older adults correlate with stronger functional connectivity and, hence, poorer motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parinaz Babaeeghazvini
- Amsterdam Movement Science Institute (AMS) and Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam (iBBA), Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Milena Rueda-Delgado
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hamed Zivari Adab
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan Swinnen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andreas Daffertshofer
- Amsterdam Movement Science Institute (AMS) and Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam (iBBA), Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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20
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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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Piispala J, Starck T, Jansson-Verkasalo E, Kallio M. Decreased occipital alpha oscillation in children who stutter during a visual Go/Nogo task. Clin Neurophysiol 2018; 129:1971-1980. [PMID: 30029047 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our goal was to discover attention- and inhibitory control-related differences in the main oscillations of the brain of children who stutter (CWS) compared to typically developed children (TDC). METHODS We performed a time-frequency analysis using wavelets, fast Fourier transformation (FFT) and the Alpha/Theta power ratio of EEG data collected during a visual Go/Nogo task in 7-9 year old CWS and TDC, including also the time window between consecutive tasks. RESULTS CWS showed significantly reduced occipital alpha power and Alpha/Theta ratio in the "resting" or preparatory period between visual stimuli especially in the Nogo condition. CONCLUSIONS The CWS demonstrate reduced inhibition of the visual cortex and information processing in the absence of visual stimuli, which may be related to problems in attentional gating. SIGNIFICANCE Occipital alpha oscillation is elementary in the control and inhibition of visual attention and the lack of occipital alpha modulation indicate fundamental differences in the regulation of visual information processing in CWS. Our findings support the view of stuttering as part of a wide-ranging brain dysfunction most likely involving also attentional and inhibitory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Piispala
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Oulu University Hospital, Finland; Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Tuomo Starck
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Oulu University Hospital, Finland; Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Eira Jansson-Verkasalo
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.
| | - Mika Kallio
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Oulu University Hospital, Finland; Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Finland.
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