In a new study, researchers from the United States Medical Center in the United States revealed the genetic basis for the “stuttering” disorder; This may cause a fundamental shift in diagnostic methods and early therapeutic intervention.
The researchers pointed out that this discovery can help early identify children with “stuttering”; This allows timely intervention to improve healing or adaptation opportunities, and the results were published, on Monday, in the journal “Nature Genetics”.
And “stuttering” is a disturbance in verbal fluency, which is the repetition of sounds, clips, or words, prolonging sounds, or sudden stopping during the conversation. It often begins in childhood, between the ages of two and five, and may disappear automatically in most children, but it continues for some until adulthood.
“Stuttering” affects more than 400 million people around the world, and is more common among males at a rate of 4 to 1 compared to females. Although it is not related to the level of intelligence, it leaves a great psychological and social impact, which may include anxiety, isolation, and decrease in self -confidence, especially in educational and professional environments.
Depending on genetic data from more than a million people who underwent DNA analysis, the team was able to develop what is known as the “Polygenic Risk Score”, which is used to predict the risk of “stuttering” in children before the symptoms appear clearly.
The study identified 57 genetic sites linked to stuttering, distributed over 48 genes. The results showed that stuttering is related to specific nervous paths in the brain; What proves that its causes are biological, not psychological as it was previously believed.
The results also indicated that the genetic fingerprints associated with “stuttering” differ according to the sex, as the gene (VRK2) emerged in males; What may explain the cause of female recovery from “stuttering” at higher rates.
The researchers also found that some genes associated with stutter intersect with other disorders such as autism and depression, and even with the ability to synchronize the musical rhythm; This indicates the presence of common nervous paths between language, music and brain functions.
The study stressed the importance of raising awareness that “stuttering” is not the result of a “defect” in the personality or method of education, but rather a biological disorder; This contributes to reducing discrimination and irony towards the injured.
The researchers pointed out that this new understanding of “stuttering” may pave the way for the development of drug or genetic treatments directed in the future, especially for cases that do not respond to traditional treatments, as it opens the door for a broader understanding of brain, language and memory functions.
