{
  "id": 17359247,
  "title": "Fixel-wise Differences in White Matter Fiber-bundle Cross-section identified in Children who Stutter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/fixel-wise-differences-in-white-matter-fiber-bundle-cross-section",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-31T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.29.762844v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers have uncovered significant differences in white matter fiber-bundle cross-sections in children who stutter compared to those who do not. Utilizing fixel-based analysis, a technique that quantifies individual fiber populations within a voxel, scientists examined diffusion MRI data from 171 children aged 3 to 13. Out of these, 84 children stuttered, while 87 were typically developing.\n\nThe study revealed that fiber-bundle macrostructure, specifically fiber-bundle cross-section (FC), was primarily affected in children who stutter. This finding contrasts with previous voxel-averaged tensor measures, which could not resolve distinct fiber populations within crossing-fiber regions. While fractional anisotropy (FA) and fiber density (FD) showed no significant group-specific effects, FC demonstrated both group and group by age effects, indicating that developmental stuttering is associated with divergent development of bilateral arcuate pathways.\n\nMoreover, FC differences were observed across corticospinal and thalamocortical pathways, although these tract-wise effects required careful correction to avoid false positives. These results highlight the importance of fixel-based analysis in characterizing white-matter development in childhood stuttering, suggesting that fiber-specific information complements conventional tensor-based diffusion measures.",
  "summary": "Developmental stuttering has been repeatedly linked to decreased white matter integrity and structural connectivity differences in major white matter tracts. Prior diffusion-weighted MRI studies reporting such white matter structural differences involved voxel-averaged tensor measures (e.g., fractional anisotropy (FA)). A well-acknowledged limitation of this approach, however, has been that it…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}