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Anomalous sensorimotor integration in adults who stutter: a tendon vibration study
Torrey M J Loucks1, Luc F De Nil
1Laryngeal and Speech Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Room 5D38, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States. louckst@ninds.nih.gov
Neuroscience Letters
|May 16, 2006
Summary
Adults who stutter (AWS) may have differences in how they process sensory feedback. This study found AWS integrate jaw proprioceptive information less efficiently, potentially impacting speech production.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Speech-language pathology
- Sensorimotor control
Background:
- Stuttering is associated with oral motor control anomalies, suggesting a sensorimotor deficit.
- Proprioception, the sense of self-movement and body position, is crucial for motor control, including speech.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate proprioceptive function in adults who stutter (AWS).
- To determine if jaw proprioception integration differs between AWS and normal speakers.
Main Methods:
- Masseter tendon vibration was used to alter jaw proprioception in participants.
- Adults who stutter and normal speakers performed a jaw-opening task under vibration and non-vibration conditions.
- Movement amplitude and undershoot magnitude were measured to assess proprioceptive influence.
Main Results:
- Jaw proprioception manipulation via vibration reduced movement amplitude in both AWS and control groups.
- AWS exhibited a reduced undershoot magnitude compared to controls, indicating altered proprioceptive integration.
- Both groups showed similar responses to altered proprioception, but the magnitude of integration differed.
Conclusions:
- Adults who stutter may utilize proprioceptive information less efficiently than normal speakers.
- Inefficient proprioceptive integration could contribute to sensorimotor disruptions in speech production for AWS.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the role of proprioception in the pathophysiology of stuttering.
