Abstract
Stuttering is a complex speech disorder. Previous studies indicate a tendency towards elevated motor threshold for the left hemisphere, as measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This may reflect a monohemispheric motor system impairment. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relative side-to-side difference (asymmetry) and the absolute levels of motor threshold for the hand area, using TMS in adults who stutter (n = 15) and in controls (n = 15). In accordance with the hypothesis, the groups differed significantly regarding the relative side-to-side difference of finger motor threshold (p = 0.0026), with the stuttering group showing higher motor threshold of the left hemisphere in relation to the right. Also the absolute level of the finger motor threshold for the left hemisphere differed between the groups (p = 0.049). The obtained results, together with previous investigations, provide support for the hypothesis that stuttering tends to be related to left hemisphere motor impairment, and possibly to a dysfunctional state of bilateral speech motor control.
Highlights
Dysregulation of Speech Muscle Activation in Stuttering Stuttering is a complex speech motor disorder, characterized by intermittent inability to move forward in the speech sequence
It has been shown that task-specific dystonia is associated with reduced intracortical inhibition, tested with paired-pulse Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) [5]
The results for motor threshold (MT) and side-to-side differences are shown in Table 3 and Figure 1
Summary
Dysregulation of Speech Muscle Activation in Stuttering Stuttering is a complex speech motor disorder, characterized by intermittent inability to move forward in the speech sequence. As judged by their data, the stuttering group showed large heterogeneity in this respect, with about 2 to 3 times higher standard deviation of the scores compared with the controls. Because stuttering mainly has been associated with excessive muscular activity the finding of elevated motor threshold was counterintuitive
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
