Deck 7: Is Stuttering Biological Theories and Investigations

Question 1

Which of the following does not reflect recent findings concerning the link between stuttering and genetics:

A) genetic factors influence the severity of stuttering
B) genetic factors influence natural recovery from stuttering
C) there is an interaction between genetic and environmental factors in stuttering
D) genetic factors influence persistent stuttering

Answer 1

genetic factors influence the severity of stuttering

Question 2

The findings that concordance for stuttering among monozygotic twins occurs only in approximately 70% of twin pairs:

A) invalidate the notion of genetic inheritance of stuttering
B) support a theory of interaction between genetic and environmental factors
C) provide a conclusive proof for a genetic basis of stuttering
D) rule out the role of environment

Answer 2

support a theory of interaction between genetic and environmental factors

Question 3

Pedigrees are used to study:

A) familial patterns of inheritance of a trait or disorder
B) which family member is affected by a trait or disorder
C) family data across several generations
D) all of the above

Answer 3

all of the above

Question 4

The proportion of young children who stutter who have a family history of stuttering among either their immediate or extended family has been reported as:

A) 43%
B) 71%
C) 10%
D) 1%

Question 5

In motor learning terms, repeating the same word over intentionally multiple times is an example of:

A) distributed practice
B) negative practice
C) massed practice
D) prolonged practice

Question 6

Which of the following provides information on the function of the larynx in people who stutter:

A) data on the effects of loud noise on stuttering
B) data on phonological and language characteristics of stutterers
C) data on cognitive deficiencies in stutterers
D) data pertaining to the handedness of stutterers

Question 7

The cerebral dominance theory of stuttering implies that in PWS:

A) the slow peripheral speech musculature cannot make a timely response to an abnormal overflow of neural signals from the left cerebral hemisphere which is usually dominant for speech; the lagging musculature results in stuttering blocks
B) normal cerebral dominance has transferred from the left to the right hemisphere;Neural signals from the right hemisphere, which is not specialized for speech Processing, are slightly disorganized resulting in stuttering blocks
C) cerebral dominance is greatly reduced or lacking. Consequently, neural signals from the two hemispheres reach the bilateral speech musculature in an asynchronous manner resulting in stuttering blocks
D) cerebral dominance alternates randomly between the left and right hemisphere; this Erratic brain function generates conflicting neural signals to the speech musculature Resulting in stuttering blocks

Question 8

The cerebral dominance theory of stuttering suggests that in people who stutter:

A) the Right cerebral hemisphere has assumed partial dominance for speech
B) the Left Cerebral hemisphere has assumed complete dominance for speech
C) the dominance for speech has been transferred from the hemispheric brain cortex to subcortical brain structures
D) the two cerebral hemispheres compete for speech dominance

Question 9

Recent studies on brain functioning in PWS indicate that they differ from normals in that:

A) they clearly lack any cerebral dominance
B) they tend to show a reverse cerebral dominance
C) they tend to show left hemisphere dominance for processing both linguistic and Nonlinguistic information
D) they tend to show increased activity of the right hemisphere for processing both linguistic and nonlinguistic information

Question 10

Biological genetic research has:

A) identified several genes that directly cause stuttering through their function of regulating muscle tonus
B) identified several genes that directly cause stuttering through their function of regulating emotionality
C) identified specific genes that appear to be associated with stuttering
D) no specific genes have been identified in relation to stuttering, only several chromosome where they might be located

Question 11

Speech-motor studies of people who stutter have revealed that:

A) PWS generally have slower reaction times than those who are NFP
B) PWS generally have inferior motor skills in comparison to NFP
C) the movement patterns of articulators in PWS and NFP are generally similar
D) the speech system of PWS can tolerate a wide range of movement
E) PWS are faster in achieving peak velocity during fluent speech

Question 12

Individuals who stutter feature a number of brain structural aberrations. Past research has reported aberrations that affect:

A) gray matter volume
B) white matter volume
C) gyri variations
D) white matter intergrity
E) two of the above
F)all of the above

Question 13

Current research has shown that people who stutter can be readily identified by:

A) voice onset time characteristics
B) brain dominance for language
C) abnormal EMG activity in muscles of articulation
D) respiratory patterns
E) all of the above
F)none of the above (a-e)

Question 14

Aggregation studies concerning the genetics of stuttering have shown that the inheritance of stuttering:

A) fits well with a single major locus model (one or several main genes being responsible)
B) is more through affected mothers than affected fathers
C) is equally accounted for by both genetics and environmental factors
D) fits best with polygenic model (many genes but no environmental factors).

Question 15

DAF stands for:

A) Decreasing activated fluency
B) Delayed auditory feedback
C) Decreasing auditory feedback
D) Degree anticipated fluency

Question 16

The fact that "masking" noise results in a decrease in stuttering while simultaneously increasing the stutterer's vocal level would seem to primarily support a strong:

A) timing component
B) psychological component
C) learned component
D) motor component

Question 17

To be most effective, Cherry & Sayers (1956) found that the application of noise to the treatment of stuttering must:

A) be bone conducted
B) be low frequency and bone conducted
C) be high frequency
D) be high frequency and bone conducted

Question 18

With some differences among physiological brain studies, the findings indicate that, compared with normally fluent speakers, PWS demonstrate:

A) greater activity in the right hemisphere cortex (gray matter)
B) lower level alpha-type waves in both hemispheres
C) lower level beta-type waves in both hemisphere
D) lower level of both alpha and beta type waves in the right hemisphere

Question 19

Unlike early studies of motor aspects of stuttering, current research reported by Anne Smith concluded:

A) stuttering is "caused" by excessive muscle activation levels
B) stuttering is not "caused" by excessive muscle activation levels
C) tests of the respiration function of PWS have revealed lower than normal oxygen exchange levels that result in a slight hypertension limited to the muscles of respiration
D) the higher tension in the respiratory musculature of PWS results in insufficient air available for smooth speech production

Question 20

In terms of exhibiting stuttering, dizygotic twins will be more similar than monozygotic twins.

Question 21

Data concerning the distribution of stuttering in families of people who stutter suggest that stuttering runs in families due to genetic factors.

Question 22

A child identified as a persistent stutterer is likely to have other persistent stutterers in his/her family.

Question 23

For people who stutter, there has been evidence of abnormal activity in their speech movements during perceptually fluent speech.

Question 24

Voice onset time (VOT) and laryngeal reaction time (LRT) are essentially the same measure.

Question 25

Speech motor studies have reported that PWS tend to have abnormally large tongue that interferes with its proper positioning for speech production causing disfluencies as the person struggles to move on.

Question 26

Speech motor studies have reported that PWS tend to have tongues that is too weak, incapable of reaching far enough in the oral cavity.

Question 27

Several investigations reported a much higher concordance for stuttering in monozygotic than in dizygotic twins.

Question 28

If stuttering were purely genetic, then all twin pairs with one stutterer would have concordance.

Question 29

Contrary to findings concerning adults who stutter, brain imaging with children did not show any brain matter differences between those exhibiting persistence in, and those who recovered from, stuttering.

Question 30

Early research concerning the genetics of stuttering employed the family incidence method. Describe and explain the method. What were the general findings of the many studies conducted in this area? What are the method's faults?

Question 31

One approach to the investigation of the genetics of stuttering is twin studies. Describe/explain the method and the rationale behind it. What have been the general findings?

Question 32

The relatively early Cerebral Dominance theory implicated brain function as the cause of stuttering. Describe/explain the theory. In what ways do recent research findings indeed implicate the possible role of both brain structure and function in stuttering?

Question 33

Discuss research advances and recent findings concerning brain structure and function in stuttering.

Question 34

What are the indications for stuttering-audition links?

Question 35

Discuss theories of motor disfunction in stuttering. What type of research evidence has been reported?

Question 36

What are the different clinical implications to stuttering of its auditory links, motor links, and genetic links?