Evidence for planning and motor subtypes of stuttering based on resting state functional connectivity

Hannah P Rowe; Jason A Tourville; Alfonso Nieto-Castanon; Emily O Garnett; Ho Ming Chow; Soo-Eun Chang; Frank H Guenther

doi:10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105417

Evidence for planning and motor subtypes of stuttering based on resting state functional connectivity

Brain Lang. 2024 May 2:253:105417. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105417. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hannah P Rowe¹, Jason A Tourville², Alfonso Nieto-Castanon³, Emily O Garnett⁴, Ho Ming Chow⁵, Soo-Eun Chang⁶, Frank H Guenther⁷

Affiliations

¹ Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: hprowe@bu.edu.
² Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: jtour@bu.edu.
³ Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address: emilyog@umich.edu.
⁵ University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA. Electronic address: hmc@udel.edu.
⁶ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: sooeunc@med.umich.edu.
⁷ Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: guenther@bu.edu.

PMID: 38703523
DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105417

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis, generated from the Gradient Order Directions Into Velocities of Articulators (GODIVA) model, that adults who stutter (AWS) may comprise subtypes based on differing connectivity within the cortico-basal ganglia planning or motor loop. Resting state functional connectivity from 91 AWS and 79 controls was measured for all GODIVA model connections. Based on a principal components analysis, two connections accounted for most of the connectivity variability in AWS: left thalamus - left posterior inferior frontal sulcus (planning loop component) and left supplementary motor area - left ventral premotor cortex (motor loop component). A k-means clustering algorithm using the two connections revealed three clusters of AWS. Cluster 1 was significantly different from controls in both connections; Cluster 2 was significantly different in only the planning loop; and Cluster 3 was significantly different in only the motor loop. These findings suggest the presence of planning and motor subtypes of stuttering.

Keywords: Resting state functional connectivity; Stuttering; Subtyping.