Stuttering: Maybe it’s not a stumbling life

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Recently, further breakthroughs have been made in the study of stuttering.

In 2019, "PNAS" published a research report titled Human GNPTAB stuttering mutations engineered into mice cause vocalization deficits and astrocyte pathology in the corpus callosum.

Increased dopamine levels are associated with decreased astrocyte activity in the striatum.

In the latest research, researchers use neuroimaging technology to visualize the brain changes of stutterers to help optimize experimental results.

The study found that the frequency and duration of stuttering of the subjects in the risperidone treatment group were alleviated, and the subjects showed higher glucose uptake in specific areas of the brain, that is, higher metabolism, which is more powerful confirmation The hypothesis that astrocytes may play a major role in the development of stuttering.

However, due to the small sample size of the study and the relatively limited imaging technology involving radiation exposure, the researchers did not discover the exact mechanism of how risperidone activates astrocytes in the striatum, but speculated that risperidone may be By activating astrocytes, causing them to release a signal molecule, they can affect neurons in the striatum by blocking their dopamine receptors.

In the future, researchers hope to use neuroimaging technology to visualize the brain changes of stutterers to find this signaling molecule, and to better understand the exact role of astrocytes, so as to design effective drugs for astrocytes to treat stuttering.

Currently, UCR School of Medicine has signed a research cooperation agreement with the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and bioon.