Keynote Address

Speech fluency familial profile - linguistic, acoustic and electromyografical study

Claudia Regina Furquim de Andrade

Molecular studies of stuttering indicate that some genes seem to have a strong effect on developmental persistent stuttering. Although the genes themsevelves have not yet been identified, initial results of the genome project of stuttering demonstrate that the inheritance factors are sufficiently strong. The theoretical model underlying the study assumes that stuttering emerges from a complex interaction among genetic factors, language processing, motor speech control processing and emotional and social aspects. The general objective of the study is to investigate the speech fluency familial profile of speech fluency variables, acoustic aspects and electromyographical motor activity - in two different groups of children: with and without direct family history for stuttering. The hypotheses of the study are based on the paradigm that the direct genetic antecedent applies in a similar pattern for speech fluency, motor activity and vocal aspects, in all affected members of a family. The participants are 40 children and their close relatives (father, mother and siblings). divided in two groups: the research group (GI - consisting of 20 children with a diagnosis of stuttering) and the control group (GII - consisting of 20 fluent children, mached for gender and age). None of the participants presented with any other associated communicative, neurological or cognitive deficit. The evaluation procedures were similar in both groups and applied to all members of the families. The study analysed speech samples; electromyographical motor activity and vocal acoustic parameters. Results of the study will be discussed in detail.

The study is supported by CNPq and Fapesp.