NCT06458153

Imaging Speech in Neurotypical Adults and Individuals With Cerebellar Stroke

High-resolution Functional Imaging of Speech-induced Sensory Modulation

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this research study is to learn how the brain areas that plan and control movement interact with the areas responsible for hearing and perceiving speech in healthy adults and people who have had cerebellar strokes. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What regions of the brain's sensory systems show changes in their activity related to speech? 2. To what extent do these regions help listeners detect and correct speech errors? 3. What is the role of the cerebellum (a part of the brain in the back of the head) in these activities? Participants will be asked to complete several experimental sessions involving behavioral speech and related tests and non-invasive brain imaging using electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Detailed description

This study aims to provide an integrated view of brain systems underlying predictive coding in speech with unprecedented detail using ultra-high field (7 Tesla) functional magnetic resonance imaging. The overall approach is a condition-intensive within-subjects design, with extensive sampling of individual participants, including a group who have had strokes impacting the cerebellum, across multiple sessions. Participants will be asked to complete up to 6 sessions. Passing a hearing assessment using standard audiological procedures, conducted at the start of the first session, is a requirement for participation. The experimental sessions involve behavior and non-invasive brain imaging. Investigators will ask participants to perform several short tasks to measure different aspects of their speech production and speech perception (e.g., reading passages or words aloud, making judgements about sounds). In one session, Investigators will measure electroencephalography (EEG) while participants complete tasks involving producing and hearing speech sounds. Participants will be fitted with an elastic cap and up to 32 non-invasive recording electrodes. In other sessions, investigators will measure structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Structural images demonstrate the unique brain anatomy of the participant. Functional images will be obtained while the participant completes specific tasks involving listening, speaking, or completing other motor actions (e.g., pressing a button). All participants will be screened for MRI risk factors prior to each session.

Conditions

• Stroke
• Cerebellum

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Neural responses to speech functional localizer	Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during a speech listening task.
BEHAVIORAL	Neural responses to silent articulation	Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during a silent articulation task.
BEHAVIORAL	Neural responses to self vs. externally generated speech	Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during self-generated vs. externally-generated speech.
BEHAVIORAL	Event-related potentials for speech	Measuring electroencephalography (EEG) based evoked potentials for self vs. externally generated speech
BEHAVIORAL	Neural responses to induced speech errors	Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during conditions that induce auditory speech errors.
BEHAVIORAL	Neural responses to sensory-motor adaptation	Measuring brain activity using fMRI during a learning task with sustained altered auditory feedback.
BEHAVIORAL	Speech production behaviors	Behavioral measurements of speech during reading passages and words
BEHAVIORAL	Auditory acuity testing	Measurements of auditory acuity during listening tasks.
BEHAVIORAL	Neural responses to learning a non-speech auditory motor behavior	Mapping of brain areas using fMRI during learning of non-speech sound-evoking movements.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-27
• Primary completion: 2028-07-01
• Completion: 2028-07-01
• First posted: 2024-06-13
• Last updated: 2025-06-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States