The Brains of Adult Stutterers: Are They Different from Nonstutterers?

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Re: Brains of Adult Stutters

From: Janis Ingham
Date: 10/11/02
Time: 12:16:56 PM
Remote Name: 68.6.68.82

Comments

Ivette - I believe you've made a misinterpretation of our report. Indeed, we imaged the brains of people who stutter WHILE they were stuttering. Thus, we did not assess the perceptual aspect of stuttering, but the motor production aspect.

In terms of using brain imaging to assess the stage of development of a child's stuttering, we have not pursued this line of research. Most of the work reported in this paper used the methodology of Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which requires injection of a radioactive tracer. For this, and other reasons, PET imaging is generally considered an inappropriate research technique for use with children. As we move more into using fMRI methodologies, we'll likely be able to study children who stutter. They are, no doubt, an important source of information regarding brain function and stuttering close to its genesis.


Last changed: September 14, 2005