The role of premotor cortex for speech production in adults and children who stutter: near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) study

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25770169
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (2015-2016); National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities (2013-2014)
• Principal Investigator: Ogura-Aoki Jun (青木) 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所 疾病研究第三部, 流動研究員 (00633174)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 言語学 / 発話 / 単語親密度 / 吃音 / 神経科学 / 近赤外分光法（NIRS） / 脳機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the cerebral blood responses in the left frontal cortex for speech production in normal controls (PWNS) and people who stutter (PWS) by means of non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Significant interaction effects were found between the subject groups and word categories (Japanese familiar, unfamiliar, and pseudo- words) in cerebral blood response at the left Brodmann’s Areas (BA) 46. Whereas the broca’s area (BA44 and 45) had not a significant difference between the subject groups. These findings suggest that the left BA46 is associated with word familiarity of the left BA46 was different between PWS and PWNS in speech production. This study shows a new method that can be used to quantify neural responses during speech production. Future studies could use the same or revised method in children who stutter to better understand the developmental problem of stuttering.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学