Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Generating Acute and Chronic Experimental Models of Motor Tic Expression in Rats
Published on: May 27, 2021
Speech disfluencies in individuals with Tourette syndrome
Luc F De Nil1, Jayanthi Sasisekaran, Pascal H H M Van Lieshout
1Graduate Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Room 160, 500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1V7. luc.denil@utoronto.ca
Objective:
The purpose of the present study was to analyze the frequency and type of speech disfluencies in a relatively large group of individuals with Tourette's syndrome (TS) and to compare their results with similar speech data from a control group of unselected individuals.
Method:
Self-report data, as well as conversation and reading samples, were obtained from 69 children diagnosed with TS (mean age=12.49) and 27 control participants (mean age=10.9).
Results:
Self-report data on fluency difficulties did not reveal significant group differences; however, detailed analysis of fluency during reading and spontaneous speech revealed an overall higher level of more typical (normal) disfluencies in the TS group. No overall differences in less typical (stuttering) disfluencies were observed between the two groups of children.
Conclusion:
Results are discussed in light of previous studies proposing a common aetiology and neuropathological link between TS and developmental stuttering.
Related Concept Videos
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Alterations in Muscle Tone ll
Conduct Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Schizophrenia
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
