A large -scale study, with data from more than one million people, has revealed the genetic keys behind stuttering and has laid the basis for additional research that could lead to an earlier identification or therapeutic advances for this disorder.
The findings achieved thanks to this work directed by researchers from the American University of Vanderbilt reveal that there are 57 different genomic regions “associated with stuttering and also suggest a shared genetic structure between this disorder, autism or depression; The results are published on Monday in the journal Nature Genetics.
A better understanding of the causes of stuttering could replace outdated ideas about this disorder, often maintained by the general public and contribute to stigma, according to researchers.
Stuttering, characterized by repetitions of syllables and words, prolongations of sounds and pauses between words, is the most common speech fluidity disorder, and affects about 400 million people in the world, according to researcher Jennifer Below, director of the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute and medical professor at the Medical Center of the University of Vanderbilt.
“No one really understands why someone stutter; it has been a complete mystery. And this applies to most speech and language pathologies, which have been studied very little because they do not require hospitalization, but they can have huge consequences on people’s quality of life,” Below said.
Young people who stutter report greater harassment, less participation in class and a more negative educational experience, and that problem can also negatively affect work opportunities, perceived work performance and mental and social well -being.
Development stuttering usually appears in children between 2 and 5 years, and approximately 80 percent of them recover spontaneouslywith or without speech therapy, and although at first it affects an almost equal number of men and women, then but it is more common in adolescents and male adults.
“Historically, we have considered musicality, speech and language as three separate entities, but these studies suggest that there could be a shared genetic basis: that the brain architecture that controls our musicality, speaks and language could be part of a common path,” said the researcher.
The researcher Dillon Testt, co -author of the study and suffers from this disorder, has influenced the number of unanswered questions about stuttering, and has been convinced, after verifying that there are many genes involved, that this study can serve to dissipate the stigma associated with stuttering and to develop new therapeutic approaches.