ABSTRACT
Recent clinical studies in handedness, particularly those by Orton, 1 Travis, 2 and Jasper, 3 are in support of the Cerebral Dominance theory, according to which they have found that in many cases of stuttering there is a reduction in cortical lead-control which results in a neuro-muscular derangement. This derangement is manifest in blocking, hesitancy, or stuttering. Lack of dominance by one hemisphere, or one centre, leads to transient inhibitive tendencies, so that the stutterer is employing both hemispheres of relatively equal potential energy, in the motor control called for in speech. Rivalry between the two hemispheres may result in speech which ranges from complete blocking, to stuttering or mild hesitation, according to this theory.
