ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to provide readers with an overview of the issues regarding neuropharmacological treatments for stuttering. A first issue is what evidence is needed for determining whether or not a new treatment is effective. The types of research designs required to provide evidence of benefit for a treatment will be reviewed and then used as a frame of reference in evaluating the research to date on the effects of different neuropharmacological agents on stuttering. Second, how neuropharmacological agents (drugs) work in the central nervous system will be reviewed. The principles of neurotransmission and how drugs can alter neurotransmission between neurons in the brain will be discussed. The third part of this chapter reviews the data available on the effects of different classes of drugs on stuttering and their side effects. Finally, the fourth part will be a discussion of the current status of the neuropharmacology of stuttering, what neurotransmitter types seem to worth pursuing, and what types of research are needed to explore the possibilities of using drugs to assist persons who stutter.
