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Stuttering acquired from subcortical pathologies and its alleviation from thalamic perturbation
1Department of Neurosurgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Brain and Language
|May 1, 1992
Summary
Acquired stuttering linked to mesothalamus damage was treated with brain stimulation. This therapy reduced pain, seizures, and improved speech fluency in patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Acquired stuttering can arise from subcortical brain pathology.
- Mesothalamic dysfunction is implicated in neurological and sensory disorders.
Observation:
- Four neurosurgical patients presented with acquired stuttering linked to mesothalamic pathology.
- Patients experienced chronic pain, seizures, and somatosensory issues alongside speech blocks.
- Abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) discharges in the mesothalamus correlated with symptoms.
Findings:
- Therapeutic mesothalamic stimulation, used for pain and seizures, also improved stuttering.
- Targeting abnormal EEG discharges with electrode placement led to symptom alleviation.
- The study suggests an electropathologic basis for mesothalamic-generated speech dysfluencies.
Implications:
- Concurrent amelioration of pain, seizures, and stuttering suggests shared reticular network generators.
- Acquired stuttering may be a component of a broader neurological syndrome complex.
- This research highlights potential links between thalamic networks and speech disorders.