DRUG TREATMENTS OF STUTTERING

According to a paper in the June 1995 Journal of Speech and Hearing
Disorders ("Fluency Changes in Persons Who Stutter Following a Double
Blind Trial of Clomipramine and Desipramine", by Stager, Ludlow, Gordon,
Cotelingam, and Rapoport):

"Only seven chronic double-blind, crossover placebo-controlled studies
have objectively measured stuttering behaviors pre- and post-treatment.
The medications studied included verapamil and haloperidol.  Only
haloperidol has met Montgomery and Manceaux's criterion for
efficacy...Although this medication improved fluency, subjects did not
continue using it to control their fluency beyond short-term treatment
studies because the side effects outweighed the benefits."

Haloperidol has strange side effects.  One person told me that, after a
week on the drug, one night his head began rotating slowly 180 degrees
back and forth, and there was nothing he could do to stop it!  The
effect on his fluency had been minor, so he stopped taking the drug.

"No significant improvements in percent fluency or speech rate were
found for any speaking task under desipramine compared to placebo."

Clomipramine improved fluency slightly.  In four speaking situations
(reading out loud, telephone calls, talking to a speech pathologist, 2
minute extemporaneous speech to an audience), fluency was improved 
about 20% in two situations (without a change in speaking rate), and 
speaking rate was increased about 20% in 2 situations (without a 
change in fluency).

63% of subjects taking clomipramine reported dry mouth, urinary
hesitation, and constipation.  A variety of other side effects were
reported.


ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS OF STUTTERING

According to a paper in the June 1995 Journal of Speech and Hearing
Disorders ("Results of a Traditional Acupuncture Intervention for
Stuttering", by Craig and Kearns), acupuncture on two adult male
stutterers had no effect on fluency.