The concentrations of bioelements in the hair samples of Jordanian children who stutter

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.06.045Get rights and content

Abstract

Objectives

This study investigates the levels of 15 bioelements (calcium, copper, chromium, sodium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, cobalt, selenium, molybdenum, vanadium, potassium, boron, and lithium) in the hair species of Jordanian stutterer.

Methods

The subjects of the study included 25 cases of stuttering, and 25 normal children (age and sex matched). The severity of stuttering (low, moderate, and severe) were assessed using Stuttering Severity Instrument, Fourth edition (SSI-4). Hair samples of subjects were cut, washed, dried, physically degraded, hydrolyzed, and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Results

Results indicated that the levels of bioelements (Calcium, Copper, Chromium, Magnesium, Manganese, Cobalt, Selenium, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Boron, and Lithium) were significantly lesser in the hair samples of stuttering group than the control group.

Conclusion

The findings of the current study could support the use of biochemical analyses as diagnostic biomarker for stuttering.

Section snippets

Literature review

Stuttering is a high frequent disturbance in the smoothness of speech that is described by (a) repetitions of words, syllables, and sounds, (b) elongations of sounds, and (c) obstruction in the flow of speech [1,2]. These behaviors usually associated with physical tension and high speech rate [2]. The onset of stuttering could arise at any time, but mostly between the age of 2 and 5 years [[2], [3], [4], [5]]. Stuttering is a complex disorder and the exact cause of this phenomenon is unknown;

Study design and data collection

The presented research study was approved by King Abdullah University Hospital institution review board (IRB no. 10/215/2444). The 25 participating children who stutter between age of 3 years and 8 years who attend the speech clinic at King Abdullah hospital in Jordan were selected for the purpose of the current study. The control group of 25 normal fluent children were selected from the same families of the stuttering group. Certified speech pathologist screened cases and controls for speech

Results

One –way analysis of variance ANOVA was conducted to assess the concentrations of bioelements in the hair samples of stuttering group compared with control group (The level of significance p < 0.05). Results showed that the levels of bioelemts (Calcium, Copper, Chromium, Magnesium, Manganese, Cobalt, Selenium, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Boron, and Lithium) were significantly higher in the hair of control group than the stuttering group. The results also displayed that the levels of (Iron and

Discussion

This study assessed the levels of 15 bioelements (calcium, copper, chromium, sodium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, cobalt, selenium, molybdenum, vanadium, potassium, boron, and lithium) in the hair species of Jordanian people who stutter. It was found that the levels of 11 bioelements (Calcium, Copper, Chromium, Magnesium, Manganese, Cobalt, Selenium, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Boron, and Lithium) were significantly lesser in the hair samples of stuttering group than the control group.

These

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest for the current work.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interests. This study was supported by the Faculty of Research in Jordan University of Science and Technology No. 20160178.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants and their families who allowed us to collect data during the study.

References (60)

  • G. Andrews et al.

    Stuttering: a review of research findings and theories circa 1982

    J. Speech Hear. Disord.

    (1983)
  • O. Bloodstein

    A Handbook on Stuttering San Diego, CA, Singular

    (1995)
  • E.G. Conture

    Stuttering: its Nature, Diagnosis, and Treatment

    (2001)
  • L. Travis et al.

    A study of the heart rate during stuttering

    J. Speech Disord.

    (1936)
  • M.F. Berry

    A common denominator in twinning and stuttering

    J. Speech Disord.

    (1938)
  • M. Palmer et al.

    Sex differences in the cardiac rhythms of stutterers

    J. Speech Disord.

    (1938)
  • W. Moore

    A conditioned reflex study of stuttering

    J. Speech Disord.

    (1938)
  • T. Albert et al.

    Stuttering and Personality Dynamics: Play Therapy, Projective Therapy and Counselling

    (1960)
  • B. Bryngelson et al.

    A comparative study of laterality of stutterers and non-stutterers

    J. Speech Disord.

    (1937)
  • U. Godai et al.

    Stuttering and tics in twins

    Acta Genet. Med. Gemellol.

    (1976)
  • P.M. Howie

    Concordance for stuttering in monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs

    J. Speech Hear. Res.

    (1981)
  • G. Andrews et al.

    Genetic factors in stuttering confirmed

    Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.

    (1991)
  • S. Felsenfeld et al.

    A study of the genetic and environmental etiology of stuttering in a selected twin sample

    Behav. Genet.

    (2000)
  • E. Yairi et al.

    Evidence for genetic etiology in stuttering

    Perspectives

    (2002)
  • A. Packman et al.

    Theoretical Issues in Stuttering

    (2004)
  • K.E. Watkins et al.

    Howell. Structural and functional abnormalities of the motor system in developmental stuttering

    Brain

    (2008)
  • B.H. Chang et al.

    Evidence of left frontal inferior- premotor structural and functional connectivity deficits in adults who stutter

    Cerebr. Cortex

    (2011)
  • G.J. Wischner

    Stuttering behavior and learning: a preliminary theoretical formulation

    J. Speech Disord.

    (1950)
  • W. Johnson et al.

    The Onset of Stuttering: Research Findings and Implications

    (1959)
  • C. Van Riper

    The Treatment of Stuttering

    (1973)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text