title: An auditory-neuroscience perspective on the development of selective mutism.
abstract: Selective mutism (SM) is a relatively rare psychiatric disorder of childhood characterized by consistent inability to speak in specific social situations despite the ability to speak normally in others. SM typically involves severe impairments in social and academic functioning. Common complications include school failure, social difficulties in the peer group, and aggravated intra-familial relationships. Although SM has been described in the medical and psychological literatures for many years, the potential underlying neural basis of the disorder has only recently been explored. Here we explore the potential role of specific auditory neural mechanisms in the psychopathology of SM and discuss possible implications for treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Hearing, Speech, and Language Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Henkin
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: yair1@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Haim
mesh_terms: D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D005190:Family; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007858:Learning; D009155:Mutism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: Auditory efferent function; Auditory processing; Medial olivocochlear bundle reflex (MOCB); Middle-ear acoustic reflex (MEAR); Selective mutism; Vocalization