[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

the right inferior frontal sulcus, and in the left superior frontal sulcus and intraparietal sulcus. In
some regions (e.g. the inferior frontal gyrus), an area of increased grey matter volume was found
next to an area of decreased volume. This suggests that a shape difference may exist in these
locations that persists even after nonlinear registration. Such differences are consistent with
studies revealing abnormal sulcal anatomy in PWS (e.g. Foundas et al., 2001).
Disclosures: P.M. Gough, None; S. Davis, None; D. Ward, None; P. Howell, None; K.E.
Watkins, None.
Poster
249. Dyslexia, SLI, and Other Disorders of Cognition and Behavior
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 249.26/V11
Topic: F.01.d. Language
Support: Medical Research Council UK
Title: Functional connectivity analyses in developmental stuttering during speech with normal
and altered auditory feedback
Authors: *K. E. WATKINS 1 , T. E. J. BEHRENS 1 , S. DAVIS 2 , P. HOWELL 2 ;
1 Exptl. Psychology, Univ. Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; 2 Psychology, Univ. Col. London,
London, United Kingdom
Abstract: Imaging studies of people who stutter (PWS) show abnormalities in motor and
sensory areas of the brain. Reduced auditory cortex activity is thought to be due to abnormal
efference copy from motor to sensory cortex. On the other hand, overactivity in cortical and
subcortical motor structures is consistent with the notion of abnormal basal ganglia function in
PWS. Using functional MRI, we scanned PWS and controls while they received normal, delayed
or frequency-shifted auditory feedback during speech. Altering feedback can improve fluency in
PWS. In contrast, normally fluent speakers become disfluent under delayed feedback. Altered
feedback increased activity in auditory areas bilaterally. Under delayed, but not frequencyshifted
feedback, controls showed increased activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG),
cerebellum and supplementary motor area (SMA). Using functional connectivity analyses, we
examined the correlation in activity between (i) left auditory and motor cortex and (ii) right IFG
and the midbrain. The correlation between activity in motor cortex (face representation) and
auditory cortex increased from baseline in controls but decreased in PWS during speech with
normal feedback. The correlation during altered feedback was increased relative to baseline in
both groups. This finding is consistent with the theory proposing abnormal interactions between