Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) include Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and Asperger's Syndrome. All three are characterized by impairments in 1) social interaction, 2) communication, and 3) restricted interests/repetitive behaviors. Specific criteria distinguish one subgroup from another. ASDs are often first diagnosed in childhood, and intelligence ranges from below to above average. There is no definitive research regarding the cause of ASDs.

Can stuttering be cured through the induction of plastic change in the brain?

It is well established that some stutters can experience spontaneous improvement in fluency when speaking in chorus or with song, a so called choral effect. We are of the belief that if technical intervention against stuttering or moderated speech is initiated while the brain is still plastic, before the age of 7 years, it may be possible to induce persistent fluency as the brain re-modulates to circumvent dysfunctional nerve tracts. This hypothesis is based on the brains significant potential for plastic change and logical deduction from the empirical treatment of astigmatism.

Stuttering: What we Know after 60 years

MEMPHIS, Tenn. ' Cutting the tongue and stuffing a dishtowel in a child's mouth were two ways people treated stuttering just a few decades ago.

We've come a long way since the Stuttering Foundation started shattering misconceptions about this mysterious disorder 60 years ago.

The Age Factor in Stuttering

Age is among the strongest risk factors for stuttering with several important implications. Although the disorder begins within a wide age-range, current robust evidence indicates that, for a very large proportion of cases, it erupts during the preschool period. Data obtained at the University of Illinois Stuttering Research Program revealed that for 65% of the child participants, stuttering onset occurred prior to age 3; the figure rose to 85% by 3 1/2 years of age (Yairi & Ambrose, 2005). Leaving room for some sampling errors, children past age 4 face a relatively low risk for stuttering. From clinical considerations, these statistics call for greater emphasis on preparing clinicians for working with early childhood stuttering.

Pagoclone and Clinical Trials

LEXINGTON, Mass. (Sept. 26, 2006) - Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDEV) today announced that following an End of Phase II meeting with the FDA, the Company has established a clinical plan towards regulatory approval of pagoclone for the treatment of persistent developmental stuttering (PDS) and will initiate a Phase III trial in the first half of 2007.

Genetic Research

Research advances in genetics are in the news almost every day. Many of these news reports tell of the discovery of a gene that causes a disease or other medical problem. While these reports are often exciting and provocative, it is often not easy to understand exactly what has been discovered and how that discovery will help the people with that disorder. There are a number of studies on the genetics of stuttering now in progress. Findings from these studies are beginning to appear, and there is much hope that more discoveries, telling us more important information about stuttering, will soon be made. What exactly are these studies, and what do scientists hope to learn from them?

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