Exploring Mechanisms of Developmental Stuttering Across Severity Levels and Cognitive Neuropsychological Intervention Attempts Based on Stuttering Severity

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K03450
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Saitama Gakuen University (2021-2023); Tokyo City University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Anzaki Fumiko 埼玉学園大学, 人間学部, 教授 (60738996)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 柴崎 光世 明星大学, 心理学部, 教授 (00325135) ; 桐生 昭吾 東京都市大学, 理工学部, 教授 (00356908)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 発達性吃音 / 聴覚伝導路 / 語音認知 / 聴覚のモニタリング障害 / アプリケーション開発

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our research on developmental stuttering showed that in adults who stutter (AWS), there was a significant difference between the left and right ear in latency, the speed of transmission between I and V waves in the auditory brainstem response test. We posited that while individuals speak, they simultaneously listen to their own voices, and this left-right dissonance might disrupt the timing of speech production, thereby contributing to stuttering. Therefore, we developed an application to adjust the left-right difference and tried an intervention with good results. In addition, 30% of AWS had an overlapping functional articulation disorders. To confirm the layering of auditory system problems, we measured event-related potential P300 during syllable discrimination tasks, latency delay was observed in AWS. Auditory system problems were considered as a possible mechanism of developmental stuttering.

Free Research Field

神経心理学，発達性言語障害

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

発達性吃音（吃音）の機序については様々な説があるものの十分明らかにされておらず，また治療法も十分確立していない。我々は吃音の機序の一因として，聴覚伝導の左右差が発語のタイミング障害を起こすと捉え，左右差を解消するためのアプリケーションを作成した。アプリケーションを用いることで，吃音症状の改善がみられた。また吃音を持つ者には機能的構音障害の重複する者が3割と多い。その機序として語音弁別の問題を考え，語音弁別課題試行中に事象関連電位P300を計測したところ，吃音を有する群では潜時の遅延がみられた。吃音の機序として、聴覚系統の問題を捉え介入を試み，吃音症状の改善を得たことは研究の意義がある。