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From: Daniel Bower (North Carolina, USA)
Date: 08 Oct 2011
Time: 13:21:10 -0500
Remote Name: 64.85.180.18
Dr. Bohnen, Thank you for the informative and interesting paper. Your mention of the basal ganglia took me on a bit of a research ride, regarding etiology. I was fortunate to find the following paper which I'll also link: Stuttering and the basal ganglia circuits: a critical review of possible relations. (Alm, Per A; 2004) http://www.uth.tmc.edu/clinicalneuro/institute/2006/Vargha-Khadem%20Readings/Alm%202004.pdf Could you please expand on your posit "... the moment the direct pathway of the basal ganglia enables the beginning of a word, the rest of it simply flows." What do you mean by "enables" ie. what is actually going on during this moment? The article I linked also makes mention of the neurotransmitter dopamine and the protein prolactin as possible interacting agents regarding the real-time process of stuttering. Have you done or are you familiar with any research regarding dopamine and prolactin? I think it would be interesting to gauge the frequency and degree of stuttering during different parts of the day, when these agents are naturally peaking, or during situationally stimulated highs and lows. Thanks again for stimulating my own learning and please forgive my very rough segue of your paper. Daniel Bower