Speech fluency familial profile: linguistic, acoustic and electromyografical study

Abstract

The study here presented is a complementation to that correspondent to CNPq (Universal Project 470494/2004-2) which has been approved with two years duration (up to 30/05/2007). The molecular studies for stuttering indicate that some genes seem to have a strong effect in the developmental persistent stuttering. Although the gene in itself has not still been identified the initial results of the genome project of stuttering demonstrate that the inheritance factors are sufficiently strong. The theoretical model that bases the study supports that stuttering emerges of 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 recognize the speech fluency familial profile – 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 implies in a similar pattern for speech fluency, motor activity and vocal aspects, in all affected member of a family. The participants will be 30 children and their close relatives (father, mother and siblings). The participants of the study will be divided in two groups: the research group (GI - composed by 15 children with stuttering diagnosis) and the control group (GII - composed by 15 fluent children). In both groups the participants should not present any other associated communicative, neurological and cognitive deficit. The evaluation procedures will be similar in both groups and applied in all members of the families. The study will analyse: speech samples; electromyographical motor activity and vocal acoustic parameters. The data will be submitted to descriptive and analytic statistical methods. (AU)