Two cortical representations of voice control are differentially involved in speech fluency

Abstract Recent studies have identified two distinct cortical representations of voice control in humans, the ventral and dorsal laryngeal motor cortex. Strikingly, while persistent developmental stuttering has been linked to a white-matter deficit cortex, intensive fluency-shaping intervention modulated functional connectivity network. Currently, it is unknown whether underlying structural network organization these or differently shaped by intervention. Using probabilistic diffusion tractography 22 individuals who stutter participated fluency shaping intervention, 18 did not participate 28 participants, we here compare networks cortex test intervention-related changes. We show (i) that all participants weaker connections compared network, regardless speech fluency, (ii) were stronger fluent speakers, (iii) profile predicted severity (iv) but resistant Our findings substantiate imply assisted recovery supports neural compensation rather than normalization. Moreover, resulting dissociation provides evidence for functionally segregated roles networks.