Stuttering remains a complex phenomenon that science has yet to fully clarify. Recently, while watching Kody Lee's captivating performance—who triumphed on America’s Got Talent in 2021—I found myself reflecting on this intriguing speech disorder. Lee, who is blind, autistic, and experiences a significant stutter, astonished audiences with his extraordinary musical talent, prompting questions about the nature of stuttering and its mysterious link to music.

Stuttering manifests differently for everyone; many, including myself, find it surfaces under emotional stress or excitement, creating a disconnection between thought and speech. This disconnect can be frustrating, as evident in my friend's daily struggles with stuttering, which includes word repetition and speech interruptions. Notably, approximately 3 million Americans and over 70 million individuals globally experience this speech disorder, with a higher prevalence in males.

Despite advancements in understanding, researchers still grapple with the exact causes of stuttering. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) categorizes stuttering into two primary types: developmental and neurogenic.

Developmental stuttering is prevalent among children learning language skills and is believed to stem from intricate interactions in the developing brain. Imaging studies reveal distinct neural blood flow patterns between those who stutter and their peers. Genetic factors may also play a role, with several genes linked to stuttering identified by the NIDCD.

On the other hand, neurogenic stuttering arises when the brain struggles to coordinate the regions involved in speech, often following brain injuries. Initially thought to be primarily psychologically induced, experts now acknowledge that neurogenic stuttering is less common than once believed.

The pursuit of understanding the neurological underpinnings of stuttering has yielded intriguing insights. J. Scott Yaruss, a speech-language pathologist, posits that the neural differences observed in people who stutter may be both a consequence and a cause of the condition. Soo-Eun Chang’s research at the University of Michigan indicates that children who outgrow stuttering demonstrate strengthened neural connections related to hearing and speech, unlike those who continue to stutter.

Chang also identified a connection between stuttering and the brain's default mode network, which may disrupt speech production. Further supporting this, Gerald Maguire, a lifelong stutterer and psychiatrist, suggests that elevated dopamine levels in the brain may contribute to stuttering. However, attempts to create effective medication for stuttering have not yet gained FDA approval.

Recent studies, including one funded by NIDCD, have focused on the anticipation of stuttering, revealing that the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activates in response to anticipated words. This highlights the need for further exploration of how the brain processes anticipation in stuttering.

An equally fascinating avenue of research involves the relationship between stuttering and music. Kody Lee’s remarkable abilities exemplify how music can transcend speech difficulties. Researchers at the University of Queensland propose that singing engages different brain regions than speaking, primarily utilizing the right hemisphere, which may compensate for deficits in the left hemisphere often affected in stutterers.

This hypothesis suggests that singing might serve as a therapeutic avenue for adults who stutter, with methods like melodic intonation therapy showing promise in improving fluency over time. Additionally, singing may offer benefits for individuals with other neurological disorders.

Ultimately, the enigma of stuttering remains, even as we uncover the brain's remarkable capabilities. While research continues to unveil the connections between stuttering, music, and neurological processes, the question of what fundamentally causes stuttering persists. It’s possible that conditions we perceive as disabilities might be unrecognized forms of human evolution, challenging our understanding of communication and expression.

This article was originally published in the author’s newsletter, Curious Life, and has been republished with permission.

Katrina Paulson is passionate about exploring humanity's mysteries and sharing her discoveries through her newsletters, Curious Adventure and Curious Life. Subscribing provides access to her writings and archived content.