Stuttering genes revealed

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A research team in the United States believes it has uncovered genes which may cause some cases of stuttering. The study, undertaken by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the US Government’s main agency for biomedical and health related research, has identified three genes as a source of stuttering in volunteers in Pakistan, the United States and England.

Stuttering may severely inhibit an individual’s ability to communicate and it can grossly affect their quality of life. While most children outgrow stuttering, many do not, and it is believed that roughly one per cent of adults worldwide stutter.
“For hundreds of years, the cause of stuttering has remained a mystery for researchers and health care professionals alike, not to mention people who stutter and their families,” said James F. Battey, the Director of the NIDCD. “This is the first study to pinpoint specific gene mutations as the potential cause of stuttering”. The team hope that their research might lead to a dramatic expansion in the options available for treatment.

SEN News Team
Author: SEN News Team

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