These are the genetic keys to stuttering.

A large-scale study, involving more than one million people, has revealed the genetic keys behind stuttering and laid the groundwork for further research that could lead to earlier identification or therapeutic advances for the disorder.

The findings of this work, led by researchers at Vanderbilt University in the United States, reveal that there are 57 different genomic regions associated with stuttering and also suggest a shared genetic structure between this disorder, autism, and depression. The results were recently published in the journal Nature Genetics .

A better understanding of the causes of stuttering could replace outdated ideas about the disorder, often held by the general public and contributing to stigma, according to researchers.

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Stuttering—characterized by repetitions of syllables and words, prolongations of sounds, and pauses between words—is the most common speech fluency disorder, affecting an estimated 400 million people worldwide. according to researcher Jennifer Below, director of the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute and professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

"No one really understands why someone stutters; it's been a complete mystery. And this applies to most speech-language pathologies, which have been very little studied because they don't require hospitalization, but can have enormous consequences for people's quality of life," Below noted.

Young people who stutter report increased bullying, lower class participation, and a more negative educational experience, and the problem can also negatively impact employment opportunities, perceived job performance, and mental and social well-being.

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Developmental stuttering usually appears in children between the ages of 2 and 5, and approximately 80 percent of them recover spontaneously—with or without speech therapy— and although it initially affects almost equal numbers of males and females, it is later more common in adolescent and adult males.

"Historically, we've considered musicality, speech, and language as three separate entities, but these studies suggest there may be a shared genetic basis: that the brain architecture that controls our musicality, speech, and language may be part of a common pathway," the researcher said.

Researcher Dillon Pruett, co-author of the study and who suffers from the disorder, has emphasized the number of unanswered questions about stuttering, and has expressed his conviction, after verifying that many genes are involved, that this study can serve to dispel the stigma associated with stuttering and develop new therapeutic approaches.

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