While the average American might not come across it on a daily basis, stuttering is a relatively common condition. So when you think about it, it’s interesting that we don’t know more about this speech impediment, and specifically what causes it.
…
It’s previously been determined that stuttering results from an imbalance of brain activity, where a region in the right hemisphere’s frontal brain is more active than its counterpart on the left. But what remained unknown was the interplay between the two.
…
Using magnetic resonance imaging on their subjects, these researchers learned that a part of the hyperactive right hemisphere – known specifically as the inferior frontal gyrus, or IFG – is, in essence, overbearing and disruptive, obstructing the left’s ability to function properly.
…
Share this article
The study, titled “Structural connectivity of right frontal hyperactive areas scales with stuttering severity,” was published Dec. 8 in the journal Brain, A Journal of Neurology. “NO single factor has been shown to be THE cause of stuttering,” states the National Stuttering Association, adding that it’s “not a psychological problem (though it can have psychological consequences).”
…
The Institute’s news release of the study’s findings did not state how the hyperactivity of the right IFG can be corrected. But by identifying the brain’s influential area, this study provides a more precise location for the scientific community to search for that elusive cure.
Read full, original post: Why We Stutter: Right Brain Activity Halts Left’s, Study Shows
