Stuttering after right cerebellar infarction: a case study.
We report a male patient with neurogenic stuttering after cerebellar infarction. He had suffered from frontal and thalamus damage and he had exhibited aphasia, but his speech had been fluent until onset of the cerebellar infarction. Results of analysis of speech samples included the following: (1) the patient showed very frequent syllable repetition and part-word repetition. (2) The stuttering occurrence rate at the second test was much higher than at the first test. (3) Almost all stuttering occurred on initial word sounds; stuttering on the medial and final word was less frequent. (4) Adaptation effect was absent. (5) Secondary behaviors such as closing of the eyes and grimacing were observed. The internal model related to cerebellar functions can be modified using feedback-error information. Results suggest that internal model dysfunction caused this patient's stuttering.


OBJECTIVE
After reading this text, the reader will be able to: (1) provide characteristics of neurogenic stuttering after the cerebellum infarction; (2) discuss the relationship between neurogenic stuttering and functions of the cerebellum.
Tani
Tetsuo
T
Department of Rehabilitation, Hidaka Hospital, 886 Nakao-cho, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0001, Japan. tt42712@arion.ocn.ne.jp
Sakai
Yasujiro
Y
D001037:Aphasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D019066:Facies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010291:Paresis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010700:Phonetics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013070:Speech Therapy; D013342:Stuttering / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013786:Thalamic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013788:Thalamus / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed