Auditory Processing of Speech and Non-Speech Stimuli in Children who Stutter: Electrophysiological Evidences

Abstract

Objectives: Current scientific evidence supports the hypothesis that people who stutter have anomalous connections in auditory regions of the left hemisphere. Thus, it is reasonable to suppose that abnormal results in auditory evoked potentials may be related to this type of disorder. In the present study, Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) using stimuli of different complexities were recorded in order to investigate possible neural synchrony deficits in children who stutter (CWS). Methods: Ten CWS aged between seven and 11 years and their non-stuttering peers (CWNS) underwent electrophysiological (speech- and click-evoked ABR) assessment. Results: CWS showed greater variability in latency values, as well as a statistical trend towards significance regarding differences between right and left ears for the interpeak I-III in the click-evoked ABR. In the speech-evoked ABR, the latency values of wave C and the amplitude of VA complex were significantly higher in CWS. Conclusions: The results suggest that CWS present differences in neural processes related to the processing of acoustic information, when compared to typically developing children, especially when more complex stimuli, such as speech, are considered.