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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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2
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Cler GJ, Krishnan S, Papp D, Wiltshire CEE, Chesters J, Watkins KE. Elevated iron concentration in putamen and cortical speech motor network in developmental stuttering. Brain 2021; 144:2979-2984. [PMID: 34750604 PMCID: PMC8634076 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Theoretical accounts of developmental stuttering implicate dysfunctional cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical motor loops through the putamen. However, the analysis of conventional MRI brain scans in individuals who stutter has failed to yield strong support for this theory in terms of reliable differences in the structure or function of the basal ganglia. Here, we performed quantitative mapping of brain tissue, which can be used to measure iron content alongside markers sensitive to myelin and thereby offers particular sensitivity to the measurement of iron-rich structures such as the basal ganglia. Analysis of these quantitative maps in 41 men and women who stutter and 32 individuals who are typically fluent revealed significant group differences in maps of R2*, indicative of higher iron content in individuals who stutter in the left putamen and in left hemisphere cortical regions important for speech motor control. Higher iron levels in brain tissue in individuals who stutter could reflect elevated dopamine levels or lysosomal dysfunction, both of which are implicated in stuttering. This study represents the first use of these quantitative measures in developmental stuttering and provides new evidence of microstructural differences in the basal ganglia and connected frontal cortical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel J Cler
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Saloni Krishnan
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham Hill, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Daniel Papp
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Charlotte E E Wiltshire
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Jennifer Chesters
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
- Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Kate E Watkins
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
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3
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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4
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Bradshaw AR, Lametti DR, McGettigan C. The Role of Sensory Feedback in Developmental Stuttering: A Review. Neurobiol Lang (Camb) 2021; 2:308-334. [PMID: 37216145 PMCID: PMC10158644 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Developmental stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that severely affects speech fluency. Multiple lines of evidence point to a role of sensory feedback in the disorder; this has led to a number of theories proposing different disruptions to the use of sensory feedback during speech motor control in people who stutter. The purpose of this review was to bring together evidence from studies using altered auditory feedback paradigms with people who stutter, in order to evaluate the predictions of these different theories. This review highlights converging evidence for particular patterns of differences in the responses of people who stutter to feedback perturbations. The implications for hypotheses on the nature of the disruption to sensorimotor control of speech in the disorder are discussed, with reference to neurocomputational models of speech control (predominantly, the DIVA model; Guenther et al., 2006; Tourville et al., 2008). While some consistent patterns are emerging from this evidence, it is clear that more work in this area is needed with developmental samples in particular, in order to tease apart differences related to symptom onset from those related to compensatory strategies that develop with experience of stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail R. Bradshaw
- Department of Speech, Hearing & Phonetic Sciences, University College London, UK
| | | | - Carolyn McGettigan
- Department of Speech, Hearing & Phonetic Sciences, University College London, UK
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5
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Abstract
The causes of developmental stuttering, a neurodevelopmental communicative disorder, have not been elucidated to date. Neuroimaging studies suggest that atypical cerebral laterality could be one of such causal factors. Moreover, handedness, a behavioural index for cerebral laterality, has been linked to stuttering and recovery from it. However, findings are conflicting, possibly due to sample selection procedures, which typically rely on self-reported stuttering, and to the fact that handedness is typically assessed with regards to its direction rather than degree. We investigated the possible relationship between handedness and stuttering. This is the first study where children who stutter (CWS) were selected using clinical criteria as well as speech samples and where a non-Western population was studied. Findings from 83 CWS aged 3-9 years (mean = 6.43, SD = 1.84) and 90 age- and sex-matched children who do not stutter (mean = 6.45, SD = 1.71) revealed no differences in their hand preference scores as evaluated by parent-completed Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, for both direction and degree. The severity of stuttering was not found to correlate with the degree of handedness. We suggest that parents and professionals not treat left- or mixed-hand preference as a reason for concern with regards to stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiwa Mohammadi
- Department of Neurology & Sleep Disorders Research Center, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Marietta Papadatou-Pastou
- School of Education, Faculty of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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6
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Yada Y, Tomisato S, Hashimoto RI. Online cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation to the right homologue of Broca's area improves speech fluency in people who stutter. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 73:63-69. [PMID: 30379387 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AIM Previous functional imaging studies demonstrate that people who stutter (PWS) exhibit over- and under-activation of Broca's and Wernicke's areas and their right hemisphere homologues when speaking. However, it is unclear whether this altered activation represents the neural cause of speech dysfluency or a secondary compensatory activation in PWS. To clarify the functional significance of the altered activation pattern in classic language areas and their right homologues, we examined whether the severity of stuttering was affected when the activation of these areas was modulated by brain stimulation. METHODS While PWS read passages aloud, we applied transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) using electrode montages that included an anodal or cathodal electrode placed over one of the language areas and its right hemisphere homologue, with the second electrode placed over the contralateral supraorbital region. Each participant underwent both anodal and cathodal tDCS sessions, each of which included a sham stimulation. Effects of stimulation polarity and electrode location on the frequency of stuttering were analyzed. RESULTS We observed a significant interaction between polarity and location on the frequency of stuttering. Follow-up analyses revealed that a tDCS montage including the cathodal electrode over right Broca's area (RB) significantly reduced the frequency of stuttering. CONCLUSION The results indicated that stuttering severity was ameliorated when overactivation in RB was reduced by tDCS. This observation further suggests that speech dysfluency in PWS may be caused either by functional alteration in RB or by abnormal activation in speech motor control areas that are connected with RB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuto Yada
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Otolaryngology, Nihon Kokan Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shuta Tomisato
- Department of Otolaryngology, Nihon Kokan Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
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7
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Yang Y, Jia F, Fox PT, Siok WT, Tan LH. Abnormal neural response to phonological working memory demands in persistent developmental stuttering. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:214-225. [PMID: 30145850 PMCID: PMC6865627 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent developmental stuttering is a neurological disorder that commonly manifests as a motor problem. Cognitive theories, however, hold that poorly developed cognitive skills are the origins of stuttering. Working memory (WM), a multicomponent cognitive system that mediates information maintenance and manipulation, is known to play an important role in speech production, leading us to postulate that the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying stuttering may be associated with a WM deficit. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we aimed to elucidate brain mechanisms in a phonological WM task in adults who stutter and controls. A right-lateralized compensatory mechanism for a deficit in the rehearsal process and neural disconnections associated with the central executive dysfunction were found. Furthermore, the neural abnormalities underlying the phonological WM were independent of memory load. This study demonstrates for the first time the atypical neural responses to phonological WM in PWS, shedding new light on the underlying cause of stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive ScienceShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Center for Language and BrainShenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
| | - Fanlu Jia
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive ScienceShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Center for Language and BrainShenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
| | - Peter T. Fox
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive ScienceShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Center for Language and BrainShenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
- Research Imaging InstituteUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioSan AntonioTexas
| | - Wai Ting Siok
- Department of LinguisticsUniversity of Hong KongPokfulam RoadHong Kong
| | - Li Hai Tan
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive ScienceShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Center for Language and BrainShenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
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8
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Connally EL, Ward D, Pliatsikas C, Finnegan S, Jenkinson M, Boyles R, Watkins KE. Separation of trait and state in stuttering. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3109-3126. [PMID: 29624772 PMCID: PMC6055715 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Stuttering is a disorder in which the smooth flow of speech is interrupted. People who stutter show structural and functional abnormalities in the speech and motor system. It is unclear whether functional differences reflect general traits of the disorder or are specifically related to the dysfluent speech state. We used a hierarchical approach to separate state and trait effects within stuttering. We collected sparse-sampled functional MRI during two overt speech tasks (sentence reading and picture description) in 17 people who stutter and 16 fluent controls. Separate analyses identified indicators of: (1) general traits of people who stutter; (2) frequency of dysfluent speech states in subgroups of people who stutter; and (3) the differences between fluent and dysfluent states in people who stutter. We found that reduced activation of left auditory cortex, inferior frontal cortex bilaterally, and medial cerebellum were general traits that distinguished fluent speech in people who stutter from that of controls. The stuttering subgroup with higher frequency of dysfluent states during scanning (n = 9) had reduced activation in the right subcortical grey matter, left temporo-occipital cortex, the cingulate cortex, and medial parieto-occipital cortex relative to the subgroup who were more fluent (n = 8). Finally, during dysfluent states relative to fluent ones, there was greater activation of inferior frontal and premotor cortex extending into the frontal operculum, bilaterally. The above differences were seen across both tasks. Subcortical state effects differed according to the task. Overall, our data emphasise the independence of trait and state effects in stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Connally
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - David Ward
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of Reading, ReadingUnited Kingdom
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language SciencesUniversity of Reading, ReadingUnited Kingdom
| | - Sarah Finnegan
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Mark Jenkinson
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Rowan Boyles
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Kate E Watkins
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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9
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Kornisch M, Robb MP, Jones RD. Estimates of functional cerebral hemispheric differences in monolingual and bilingual people who stutter: Dual-task paradigm. Clin Linguist Phon 2017; 31:409-423. [PMID: 28409657 DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2017.1305448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The inter-relationship of stuttering and bilingualism to functional cerebral hemispheric processing was examined on a dual-task paradigm. Eighty native German (L1) speakers, half of whom were sequential bilinguals (L2 = English), were recruited. The participants (mean age = 38.9 years) were organised into four different groups according to speech status and language ability: 20 bilinguals who stutter (BWS), 20 monolinguals who stutter (MWS), 20 bilinguals who do not stutter (BWNS), and 20 monolinguals who do not stutter (MWNS). All participants completed a dual-task paradigm involving simultaneous speaking and finger tapping. No performance differences between BWS and BWNS were found. In contrast, MWS showed greater dual-task interference compared to BWS and MWNS, as well as greater right- than left-hand disruption. A prevailing finding was that bilingualism seems to offset deficits in executive functioning associated with stuttering. Cognitive reserve may have been reflected in the present study, resulting in a bilingual advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Kornisch
- a Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University , Montreal , Québec , Canada
| | - Michael P Robb
- b Department of Communication Disorders , University of Canterbury , Christchurch , New Zealand
| | - Richard D Jones
- b Department of Communication Disorders , University of Canterbury , Christchurch , New Zealand
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10
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Desai J, Huo Y, Wang Z, Bansal R, Williams SCR, Lythgoe D, Zelaya FO, Peterson BS. Reduced perfusion in Broca's area in developmental stuttering. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 38:1865-1874. [PMID: 28035724 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2016] [Revised: 11/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study resting cerebral blood flow in children and adults with developmental stuttering. METHODS We acquired pulsed arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging data in 26 participants with stuttering and 36 healthy, fluent controls. While covarying for age, sex, and IQ, we compared perfusion values voxel-wise across diagnostic groups and assessed correlations of perfusion with stuttering severity within the stuttering group and with measures of motor speed in both groups. RESULTS We detected lower regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF) at rest in the stuttering group compared with healthy controls in Broca's area bilaterally and the superior frontal gyrus. rCBF values in Broca's area bilaterally correlated inversely with the severity of stuttering and extended posteriorly into other portions of the language loop. We also found increased rCBF in cerebellar nuclei and parietal cortex in the stuttering group compared with healthy controls. Findings were unchanged in child-only analyses and when excluding participants with comorbid illnesses or those taking medication. CONCLUSIONS rCBF is reduced in Broca's region in persons who stutter. More severe stuttering is associated with even greater reductions in rCBF to Broca's region, additive to the underlying putative trait reduction in rCBF relative to control values. Moreover, a greater abnormality in rCBF in the posterior language loop is associated with more severe symptoms, suggesting that a common pathophysiology throughout the language loop likely contributes to stuttering severity. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1865-1874, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Desai
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, California.,Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Yuankai Huo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Zhishun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Ravi Bansal
- Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Institute for the Developing Mind, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California
| | - Steven C R Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Lythgoe
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando O Zelaya
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bradley S Peterson
- Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Institute for the Developing Mind, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California
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11
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Kornisch M, Robb MP, Jones RD. Estimates of functional cerebral hemispheric differences in monolingual and bilingual people who stutter: Visual hemifield paradigm. Clin Linguist Phon 2016; 31:251-265. [PMID: 27763772 DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2016.1240236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between stuttering and bilingualism to functional cerebral hemispheric processing was examined using a visual hemifield paradigm. Eighty native German speakers, half of whom were also proficient speakers of English as a second language (L2), were recruited. The participants were organised into four different groups according to speech status and language ability: 20 monolinguals who stutter, 20 bilinguals who stutter, 20 monolinguals who do not stutter, and 20 bilinguals who do not stutter. All participants completed a task involving selective identification of common objects simultaneously presented to both visual fields. Overall, an LVF advantage was observed across all groups with no significant group differences in regard to hemispheric asymmetry. However, both bilingual groups showed faster reaction times and fewer identification errors than the two monolingual groups. A prevailing finding was that bilingualism seems to offset deficits in executive functioning associated with stuttering. Hence, the results lend support to previous findings implicating the benefits of bilingualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Kornisch
- a Department of Communication Disorders , University of Canterbury , Christchurch , Canterbury , New Zealand
- b Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine , McGill University , Montréal , Québec , Canada
| | - Michael P Robb
- a Department of Communication Disorders , University of Canterbury , Christchurch , Canterbury , New Zealand
| | - Richard D Jones
- a Department of Communication Disorders , University of Canterbury , Christchurch , Canterbury , New Zealand
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12
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Mersov AM, Jobst C, Cheyne DO, De Nil L. Sensorimotor Oscillations Prior to Speech Onset Reflect Altered Motor Networks in Adults Who Stutter. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:443. [PMID: 27642279 PMCID: PMC5009120 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Adults who stutter (AWS) have demonstrated atypical coordination of motor and sensory regions during speech production. Yet little is known of the speech-motor network in AWS in the brief time window preceding audible speech onset. The purpose of the current study was to characterize neural oscillations in the speech-motor network during preparation for and execution of overt speech production in AWS using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Twelve AWS and 12 age-matched controls were presented with 220 words, each word embedded in a carrier phrase. Controls were presented with the same word list as their matched AWS participant. Neural oscillatory activity was localized using minimum-variance beamforming during two time periods of interest: speech preparation (prior to speech onset) and speech execution (following speech onset). Compared to controls, AWS showed stronger beta (15–25 Hz) suppression in the speech preparation stage, followed by stronger beta synchronization in the bilateral mouth motor cortex. AWS also recruited the right mouth motor cortex significantly earlier in the speech preparation stage compared to controls. Exaggerated motor preparation is discussed in the context of reduced coordination in the speech-motor network of AWS. It is further proposed that exaggerated beta synchronization may reflect a more strongly inhibited motor system that requires a stronger beta suppression to disengage prior to speech initiation. These novel findings highlight critical differences in the speech-motor network of AWS that occur prior to speech onset and emphasize the need to investigate further the speech-motor assembly in the stuttering population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Maria Mersov
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cecilia Jobst
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Douglas O Cheyne
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteToronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada
| | - Luc De Nil
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
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13
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Falk S, Müller T, Dalla Bella S. Non-verbal sensorimotor timing deficits in children and adolescents who stutter. Front Psychol 2015; 6:847. [PMID: 26217245 PMCID: PMC4491603 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that motor and speech disorders co-occur during development. In the present study, we investigated whether stuttering, a developmental speech disorder, is associated with a predictive timing deficit in childhood and adolescence. By testing sensorimotor synchronization abilities, we aimed to assess whether predictive timing is dysfunctional in young participants who stutter (8-16 years). Twenty German children and adolescents who stutter and 43 non-stuttering participants matched for age and musical training were tested on their ability to synchronize their finger taps with periodic tone sequences and with a musical beat. Forty percent of children and 90% of adolescents who stutter displayed poor synchronization with both metronome and musical stimuli, falling below 2.5% of the estimated population based on the performance of the group without the disorder. Synchronization deficits were characterized by either lower synchronization accuracy or lower consistency or both. Lower accuracy resulted in an over-anticipation of the pacing event in participants who stutter. Moreover, individual profiles revealed that lower consistency was typical of participants that were severely stuttering. These findings support the idea that malfunctioning predictive timing during auditory-motor coupling plays a role in stuttering in children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Falk
- CNRS, Laboratoire Parole et Langage, UMR 7309, Aix-Marseille UniversityAix-en-Provence, France
- Institut für Deutsche Philologie, Ludwig Maximilians UniversityMunich, Germany
| | - Thilo Müller
- Neurology (Stuttering Therapy), LVR HospitalBonn, Germany
| | - Simone Dalla Bella
- Movement to Health Laboratory, EuroMov, University of MontpellierMontpellier, France
- Institut Universitaire de FranceParis, France
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Wyższa Szkoła Finansów i ZarządzaniaWarsaw, Poland
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Wieland EA, McAuley JD, Dilley LC, Chang SE. Evidence for a rhythm perception deficit in children who stutter. Brain Lang 2015; 144:26-34. [PMID: 25880903 PMCID: PMC5382013 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2015] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the timing and rhythmic flow of speech production. When speech is synchronized with an external rhythmic pacing signal (e.g., a metronome), even severe stuttering can be markedly alleviated, suggesting that people who stutter may have difficulty generating an internal rhythm to pace their speech. To investigate this possibility, children who stutter and typically-developing children (n=17 per group, aged 6-11 years) were compared in terms of their auditory rhythm discrimination abilities of simple and complex rhythms. Children who stutter showed worse rhythm discrimination than typically-developing children. These findings provide the first evidence of impaired rhythm perception in children who stutter, supporting the conclusion that developmental stuttering may be associated with a deficit in rhythm processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Wieland
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, 1026 Red Cedar Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - J Devin McAuley
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 316 Physics Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Laura C Dilley
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, 1026 Red Cedar Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Rachel Upjohn Building, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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15
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Beal DS, Lerch JP, Cameron B, Henderson R, Gracco VL, De Nil LF. The trajectory of gray matter development in Broca's area is abnormal in people who stutter. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:89. [PMID: 25784869 PMCID: PMC4347452 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition and mastery of speech-motor control requires years of practice spanning the course of development. People who stutter often perform poorly on speech-motor tasks thereby calling into question their ability to establish the stable neural motor programs required for masterful speech-motor control. There is evidence to support the assertion that these neural motor programs are represented in the posterior part of Broca’s area, specifically the left pars opercularis. Consequently, various theories of stuttering causation posit that the disorder is related to a breakdown in the formation of the neural motor programs for speech early in development and that this breakdown is maintained throughout life. To date, no study has examined the potential neurodevelopmental signatures of the disorder across pediatric and adult populations. The current study aimed to fill this gap in our knowledge. We hypothesized that the developmental trajectory of cortical thickness in people who stutter would differ across the lifespan in the left pars opercularis relative to a group of control participants. We collected structural magnetic resonance images from 116 males (55 people who stutter) ranging in age from 6 to 48 years old. Differences in cortical thickness across ages and between patients and controls were investigated in 30 brain regions previously implicated in speech-motor control. An interaction between age and group was found for the left pars opercularis only. In people who stutter, the pars opercularis did not demonstrate the typical maturational pattern of gradual gray matter thinning with age across the lifespan that we observed in control participants. In contrast, the developmental trajectory of gray matter thickness in other regions of interest within the neural network for speech-motor control was similar for both groups. Our findings indicate that the developmental trajectory of gray matter in left pars opercularis is abnormal in people who stutter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deryk S Beal
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, Canada ; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, ON, Canada ; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brodie Cameron
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Rhaeling Henderson
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Vincent L Gracco
- Haskins Laboratories New Haven, CT, USA ; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Luc F De Nil
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
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16
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Belyk M, Kraft SJ, Brown S. Stuttering as a trait or state - an ALE meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 41:275-84. [PMID: 25350867 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Stuttering is a speech disorder characterised by repetitions, prolongations and blocks that disrupt the forward movement of speech. An earlier meta-analysis of brain imaging studies of stuttering (Brown et al., 2005) revealed a general trend towards rightward lateralization of brain activations and hyperactivity in the larynx motor cortex bilaterally. The present study sought not only to update that meta-analysis with recent work but to introduce an important distinction not present in the first study, namely the difference between 'trait' and 'state' stuttering. The analysis of trait stuttering compares people who stutter (PWS) with people who do not stutter when behaviour is controlled for, i.e., when speech is fluent in both groups. In contrast, the analysis of state stuttering examines PWS during episodes of stuttered speech compared with episodes of fluent speech. Seventeen studies were analysed using activation likelihood estimation. Trait stuttering was characterised by the well-known rightward shift in lateralization for language and speech areas. State stuttering revealed a more diverse pattern. Abnormal activation of larynx and lip motor cortex was common to the two analyses. State stuttering was associated with overactivation in the right hemisphere larynx and lip motor cortex. Trait stuttering was associated with overactivation of lip motor cortex in the right hemisphere but underactivation of larynx motor cortex in the left hemisphere. These results support a large literature highlighting laryngeal and lip involvement in the symptomatology of stuttering, and disambiguate two possible sources of activation in neuroimaging studies of persistent developmental stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Belyk
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M9, Canada
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Joos K, De Ridder D, Boey RA, Vanneste S. Functional connectivity changes in adults with developmental stuttering: a preliminary study using quantitative electro-encephalography. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:783. [PMID: 25352797 PMCID: PMC4195313 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Stuttering is defined as speech characterized by verbal dysfluencies, but should not be seen as an isolated speech disorder, but as a generalized sensorimotor timing deficit due to impaired communication between speech related brain areas. Therefore we focused on resting state brain activity and functional connectivity. Method: We included 11 patients with developmental stuttering and 11 age matched controls. To objectify stuttering severity and the impact on quality of life (QoL), we used the Dutch validated Test for Stuttering Severity-Readers (TSS-R) and the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering (OASES), respectively. Furthermore, we used standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) analyses to look at resting state activity and functional connectivity differences and their correlations with the TSS-R and OASES. Results: No significant results could be obtained when looking at neural activity, however significant alterations in resting state functional connectivity could be demonstrated between persons who stutter (PWS) and fluently speaking controls, predominantly interhemispheric, i.e., a decreased functional connectivity for high frequency oscillations (beta and gamma) between motor speech areas (BA44 and 45) and the contralateral premotor (BA6) and motor (BA4) areas. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between functional connectivity at low frequency oscillations (theta and alpha) and stuttering severity, while a mixed increased and decreased functional connectivity at low and high frequency oscillations correlated with QoL. Discussion: PWS are characterized by decreased high frequency interhemispheric functional connectivity between motor speech, premotor and motor areas in the resting state, while higher functional connectivity in the low frequency bands indicates more severe speech disturbances, suggesting that increased interhemispheric and right sided functional connectivity is maladaptive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Joos
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Department of Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dirk De Ridder
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand ; BRAI2N and TRI, Sint Augustinus Hospital Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ronny A Boey
- Centre of Stuttering Therapy Antwerp, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sven Vanneste
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX, USA
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Walden TA, Frankel CB, Buhr AP, Johnson KN, Conture EG, Karrass JM. Dual diathesis-stressor model of emotional and linguistic contributions to developmental stuttering. J Abnorm Child Psychol 2012; 40:633-44. [PMID: 22016200 PMCID: PMC3740566 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-011-9581-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed emotional and speech-language contributions to childhood stuttering. A dual diathesis-stressor framework guided this study, in which both linguistic requirements and skills, and emotion and its regulation, are hypothesized to contribute to stuttering. The language diathesis consists of expressive and receptive language skills. The emotion diathesis consists of proclivities to emotional reactivity and regulation of emotion, and the emotion stressor consists of experimentally manipulated emotional inductions prior to narrative speaking tasks. Preschool-age children who do and do not stutter were exposed to three emotion-producing overheard conversations-neutral, positive, and angry. Emotion and emotion-regulatory behaviors were coded while participants listened to each conversation and while telling a story after each overheard conversation. Instances of stuttering during each story were counted. Although there was no main effect of conversation type, results indicated that stuttering in preschool-age children is influenced by emotion and language diatheses, as well as coping strategies and situational emotional stressors. Findings support the dual diathesis-stressor model of stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tedra A Walden
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.
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Howell P, Soukup-Ascencao T, Davis S, Rusbridge S. Comparison of alternative methods for obtaining severity scores of the speech of people who stutter. Clin Linguist Phon 2011; 25:368-78. [PMID: 21434809 PMCID: PMC3314730 DOI: 10.3109/02699206.2010.538955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Riley's Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI) is widely used. The manuals allow SSI assessments to be made in different ways (e.g. from digital recordings or whilst listening to speech live). Digital recordings allow segments to be selected and listened to, whereas the entire recording has to be judged when listened to live. Comparison was made between expert judges when they used these digital and live procedures to establish whether one method was more sensitive and reliable than the other. Five expert judges assessed eight speakers four times each in two judgment conditions (digital vs. live). The eight speakers were chosen so that they spanned a wide range of stuttering severity. SSI version 3 (SSI-3) estimates were obtained on all occasions. An ANOVA showed a three-way interaction between sessions, speakers and condition that indicated that digital and live judgments varied across speakers and across sessions. The predictions that were upheld were (1) SSI-3 scores made from digital segments are more sensitive than SSI-3 scores made on the entire live signal; (2) digital and live judgments vary with respect to speaker's stuttering severity and across test sessions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Howell
- Department of Cognitive, Perceptual and Brain Sciences, Centre for Human Communications, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
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Sato Y, Mori K, Koizumi T, Minagawa-Kawai Y, Tanaka A, Ozawa E, Wakaba Y, Mazuka R. Functional lateralization of speech processing in adults and children who stutter. Front Psychol 2011; 2:70. [PMID: 21687442 PMCID: PMC3110423 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2010] [Accepted: 04/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental stuttering is a speech disorder in fluency characterized by repetitions, prolongations, and silent blocks, especially in the initial parts of utterances. Although their symptoms are motor related, people who stutter show abnormal patterns of cerebral hemispheric dominance in both anterior and posterior language areas. It is unknown whether the abnormal functional lateralization in the posterior language area starts during childhood or emerges as a consequence of many years of stuttering. In order to address this issue, we measured the lateralization of hemodynamic responses in the auditory cortex during auditory speech processing in adults and children who stutter, including preschoolers, with near-infrared spectroscopy. We used the analysis–resynthesis technique to prepare two types of stimuli: (i) a phonemic contrast embedded in Japanese spoken words (/itta/ vs. /itte/) and (ii) a prosodic contrast (/itta/ vs. /itta?/). In the baseline blocks, only /itta/ tokens were presented. In phonemic contrast blocks, /itta/ and /itte/ tokens were presented pseudo-randomly, and /itta/ and /itta?/ tokens in prosodic contrast blocks. In adults and children who do not stutter, there was a clear left-hemispheric advantage for the phonemic contrast compared to the prosodic contrast. Adults and children who stutter, however, showed no significant difference between the two stimulus conditions. A subject-by-subject analysis revealed that not a single subject who stutters showed a left advantage in the phonemic contrast over the prosodic contrast condition. These results indicate that the functional lateralization for auditory speech processing is in disarray among those who stutter, even at preschool age. These results shed light on the neural pathophysiology of developmental stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Sato
- Research Institute, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
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Chang SE, Synnestvedt A, Ostuni J, Ludlow CL. Similarities in speech and white matter characteristics in idiopathic developmental stuttering and adult-onset stuttering. J Neurolinguistics 2010; 23:455-469. [PMID: 20640049 PMCID: PMC2903065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroling.2008.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Adult-onset stuttering (AS) typically occurs following neurological and/or psychological trauma, considered different from developmental stuttering (DS), which starts during early childhood with few if any new cases reported after adolescence. Here we report four cases of AS, two with apparent psychological trigger and two without, none with evidence of neurological injury, and none conforming to previously reported characteristics of psychogenic stuttering. We asked whether this group of AS would have similar speech and neuroanatomical characteristics to those with DS. We conducted blinded analyses of speech samples in both AS cases and 14 cases of DS on type, frequency, and loci of disfluencies. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was conducted to compare white matter tracts using fractional anisotropy (FA). We found that AS did not differ significantly from DS in any of the speech characteristics measured. On DTI, DS had significantly increased FA relative to controls in the right superior longitudinal tract. AS cases showed a similar trend for increases in these regions when compared to controls. The results of this study suggest that symptoms of idiopathic stuttering can begin during adulthood, and that similar neuroanatomical differences from controls may be associated with both developmental and adult onset idiopathic stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Eun Chang
- Laryngeal and Speech Section, Medical Neurology Branch, NINDS/NIH, 10 Center Dr. MSC 1416 Building 10, Room 5D38, Bethesda, MD 20892, Tel: 301-402-0482
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Abstract
PURPOSE This research note gives details of 2 releases of audio recordings available from speakers who stutter that can be accessed on the Web. METHOD Most of the recordings are from school-age children. These are available on the University College London Archive of Stuttered Speech (UCLASS) Web site, and information is provided about how to access the site. A description of the recordings and background information about the speakers who contributed recordings to UCLASS Releases One and Two are given. The sample types available in Release One are monologs. Release Two has monologs, readings, and conversations. Three optional software formats that can be used with the archive are described (although processing the archive is not restricted to these formats). Some perceptual assessment of the quality of each recording is given. An assessment of the strengths and limitations of the recording archive is presented. Finally, some past applications and future research possibilities using the recordings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Howell
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, England.
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Howell P. Do individuals with fragile X syndrome show developmental stuttering or not? Comment on "Speech fluency in fragile X syndrome" by van Borsel, Dor and Rondal. Clin Linguist Phon 2008; 22:163-7. [PMID: 18253874 PMCID: PMC2231511 DOI: 10.1080/02699200701777631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Van Borsel, Dor, and Rondal (2007) examined the speech of seven boys and two young male adults with fragile X syndrome and considered whether their speech was comparable to that reported in the developmental stuttering literature. They listed five criteria which led them to conclude that the speech patterns of speakers with fragile X syndrome differed from those observed in developmental stuttering. The differences noted were: 1) distribution of type of dysfluency; 2) the class of word on which dysfluency occurred; 3) whether word length affected dysfluency; 4) number of times words and phrases were repeated; and 5) whether there were influences of material type on fluency (spontaneous speech, repeated material etc.). They concluded that the speech of speakers with fragile X syndrome differed from developmental stuttering. The comparisons that van Borsel et al. (2007) made between participant groups were not for speakers of comparable ages. Comparisons with groups of corresponding ages support the opposite conclusion, namely the young speakers with fragile X syndrome show patterns similar to developmental stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Howell
- Department of Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, England.
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Abstract
Clinicians who are familiar with the general DSM-IV-TR scheme may want to know how to identify whether a child does, or (equally importantly) does not, stutter and what differences there are in the presenting signs for children of different ages. This article reviews and discusses topics in the research literature that have a bearing on these questions. The review compared language, social-environmental and host factors of children who stutter across two age groups (up to age eight and 12 plus). Dysfluency types mainly involved repetition of one or more whole function words up to age eight whereas at age 12 plus, dysfluency on parts of content words often occurred. Twin studies showed that environmental and host factors were split roughly 30/70 for both ages. Though the disorder is genetically transmitted, the mode of transmission is not known at present. At the earlier age, there were few clearcut socio-environmental influences. There were, however, some suggestions of sensory (high incidence of otitis media with effusion) and motor differences (high proportion of left-handed individuals in the stuttering group relative to norms) compared to control speakers. At age 12 plus, socio-environmental influences (like state anxiety) occurred in the children who persist, but were not evident in the children who recover from the disorder. Brain scans at the older age show some replicable abnormality in the areas connecting motor and sensory areas in speakers who stutter. The topics considered in the discussion return to the question of how to identify whether a child does or does not stutter. The review identifies extra details that might be considered to improve the classification of stuttering (e.g. sensory and motor assessments). Also, some age-dependent factors and processes are identified (such as change in dysfluency type with age). Knowing the distinguishing features of the disorder allows it to be contrasted with other disorders which show superficially similar features. Two or more disorders can co-occur for two reasons: comorbidity, where the child has two identifiable disorders (e.g. a child with Down Syndrome whose speech has been properly assessed and classed as stuttering). Ambiguous classifications, where an individual suffering from one disorder meets the criteria for one or more other disorders. One way DSM-IV-TR deals with the latter is by giving certain classification axes priority over others. The grounds for such superordinacy seem circular as the main role for allowing this appears to be to avoid such ambiguities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Howell
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Human Communications, University College London, Gower St., London WC1E 6BT, England, UK.
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25
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Marshall C. The impact of word-end phonology and morphology on stuttering. Stammering Res 2005; 1:375-391. [PMID: 18259591 PMCID: PMC2231591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates whether stuttering rates in English-speaking adults and children are influenced by phonological and morphological complexity at the ends of words. The phonology of English inflection is such that morphological and phonological complexity are confounded, and previous research has indicated that phonological complexity influences stuttering. Section 1 of this paper considers how to disentangle phonological and morphological complexity so that the impact of each on stuttering can be tested. Section 2 presents an analysis of some adult corpus data, and shows that phonological and morphological complexity at the word end do not influence stuttering rates for English-speaking adults, at least in spontaneous speech. Section 3 presents results from a non-word repetition task and a past tense elicitation task which reveal that while word-end phonological and morphological complexity do not affect stuttering rates in most of the adults and children tested, a small proportion of adults and children do stutter over morphologically complex words in an elicitation task. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that morphology has an impact on stuttering for some individuals in certain circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Marshall
- Centre for Developmental Language Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Human Communication Science, University College London, Chandler House, 2 Wakefield Street, London WC1N 1PF
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