This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Kenneth D. Pool, MD; Michael D. Devous, Sr, PhD; Frances J. Freeman, PhD; Ben C. Watson, PhD; Terese Finitzo, PhD

Arch Neurol. 1991;48(5):509-512.

Abstract
• Stuttering is a poorly understood communication disorder with a 1% global prevalence. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in a neurogenic origin for the disorder, although no research has established clear neurological differences between "developmental" (stuttering onset in childhood) stutterers and nonstutterers. We have used xenon 133 single-photon emission computed tomography to study regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 20 stutterers. Analysis revealed global, absolute flow reductions. Relative flow asymmetries (left < right) were identified in three hemispheric regions: anterior cingulate and superior and middle temporal gyri. Milder changes were found in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Stutterers had rCBF values below median for either anterior cingulate or middle temporal gyri. With one exception, severe stutterers had rCBF values below median for the anterior cingulate gyrus. All stutterers with rCBF values above median in the cingulate gyrus had rCBF values below median in the middle temporal gyrus, and severity of their disorder was either mild or moderate. Our findings suggest that stuttering is a neurogenic disorder involving recognized cortical regions of speech-motor control.

Author Affiliations
From the Neuroscience Research Center (Drs Pool, Freeman, and Finitzo) and the Nuclear Medicine Center (Dr Devous), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; and the Dallas Center for Vocal Motor Control, University of Dallas/Callier Center (Drs Freeman, Watson, and Finitzo), Dallas, Tex.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication September 25, 1990.

Reprint requests to Dallas Center for Vocal Motor Control, 9705 Harry Hines Blvd, Suite 203, Dallas, TX 75220 (Dr Finitzo).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

The aetiology and treatment of developmental stammering in childhood
Ward
Arch. Dis. Child. 2008;93:68-71.
FULL TEXT  

Subcortical infarction resulting in acquired stuttering
Ciabarra et al.
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2000;69:546-549.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Brain correlates of stuttering and syllable production: A PET performance-correlation analysis
Fox et al.
Brain 2000;123:1985-2004.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Single word reading in developmental stutterers and fluent speakers
Salmelin et al.
Brain 2000;123:1184-1202.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

On Stuttering and Global Ischemia
Fox et al.
Arch Neurol 1993;50:1287-1288.
ABSTRACT  

On Stuttering and Global Ischemia-Reply
Pool et al.
Arch Neurol 1993;50:1289-1290.
ABSTRACT  

Stutterers and Cerebral Blood Flow-Reply
Pool et al.
Arch Neurol 1992;49:347-348.
ABSTRACT  

Stutterers and Cerebral Blood Flow
Viswanath et al.
Arch Neurol 1992;49:346-347.
ABSTRACT