Large-scale study uncovers 57 genetic hotspots into stuttering origins
The largest genetic analysis of stuttering has demonstrated a clear genetic basis for the speech disorder, highlighting neurological pathways of risk. The study, published July 28 in the journal Nature Genetics, used data representing more than 1 million individuals who had their DNA analyzed by the company 23andMe Inc.
The findings point to 57 distinct genomic regions that mapped to 48 genes associated with stuttering and suggest a shared genetic architecture of stuttering with autism, depression and musicality. The results provide a foundation for additional research that could lead to earlier identification or therapeutic advances in stuttering. More broadly, improving understanding of the causes of stuttering may replace outdated views of stuttering often held by the general public that contribute to stigma.
Stuttering — characterized by syllable and word repetitions, sound prolongations, and breaks between words — is the most common fluency disorder, with more than 400 million people affected worldwide, said Jennifer (Piper) Below, PhD, director of the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute and professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. And yet, the causes of this common speech disorder are unclear.
