The Reason Why People Stutter

December 19th, 2009 Posted in Anxiety and Depression

Scientists know many factors for why people stutter. They know that boys are more likely to stutter than girls. They know that most kids begin stuttering between the ages of 2 and 5. They are aware that in the majority of cases the child will simply outgrow the stuttering problem. They know that stuttering has a tendency to run in families, whether biological or situational in nature. They also know that traumatic events like strokes can cause stuttering and that emotional factors like stress can increase the prevalence of the stutter. There is still much to learn as far as where in the brain or the vocal cords the stutter originates from and how to effectively cure this speech problem.

A major National Institute of Health study recently uncovered several locations on a couple of different chromosomes that may point to a genetic reason for stuttering. “The data supports our previous conclusions about the role of genetics in stuttering. Progress in this area will produce some of the most important information in this research in decades,” says Prof. Ehud Yairi from the Tel Aviv University School of Medicine. Over the years, many other studies of families and twins show patterns that suggest nature might deliver a propensity toward stuttering and anxiety.

Another reason why people stutter has nothing to do with stuttering in childhood. Adults who stutter may have suffered a traumatic injury, like a serious car accident, child birth injury, a mugging or a stroke. This is called “neurogenic stuttering,” which is often characterized by repetition of syllables, prolonged syllables and mental blocks. Sometimes an individual who stutters develops the problem as a result of psychological stress or heightened emotions. Brain scans show heightened activity in the right hemisphere, which is typically associated with emotions, which leads researchers to believe that stuttering is closely connected with fears, anxiety and depression. Other brain scans suggest varying levels of chemicals in the brain like dopamine and GABA and trouble spots in cortical pathways that may influence stuttering.

Over the years, there will be more research into why people stutter. As brain scan/MRI technology improves, scientists will be able to get a more accurate glimpse into brain activity during stuttering episodes to understand which regions are at play. Also, the mapping out of the human genetic code will enable the pinpointing of specific genes associated with chronic stuttering. Treatment options including stuttering medication, and early intervention speech/stuttering therapy will then be developed in response to the new findings.

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