NCT06740968

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) in Stuttering

Improving Neural Oscillation and Synchrony Between Motor and Auditory Regions in Stuttering Using Personalized Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS)

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Michigan · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate how mild, noninvasive electrical brain stimulation affects speech relevant brain areas, which may in turn affect speech fluency and speaking-related brain activity in people that stutter. The long-term goal of this study is to test the therapeutic potential of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) for the treatment of stuttering. The study team hypothesizes that if stuttering involves impaired initiation of motor programs, delta-tuned tACS will strengthen communication between brain regions and decrease stuttering. Therefore, delta-tuned sensorimotor tACS will be paired with fluency-induced speech (choral reading), which is hypothesized to decrease stuttering via improved auditory motor integration.

Detailed description

Participants will have screening and baseline visits that include a variety of tests and procedures (i.e. standardized tests of speech, language, hearing test, music training questionnaire, working memory tests, and speech sample to characterize stuttering, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG)). Following these, participants will have 3 sessions (active and sham conditions) and then a one month follow-up phone or video call. Of note, there will be an embedded pilot study to refine the experimental protocol in terms of practicality and feasibility and these participants will not be included in this registration. The only purpose of this embedded study is to refine the protocol and it does not have any health or behavioral outcomes.

Conditions

• Stuttering, Adult
• Stuttering, Childhood
• Stuttering, Developmental

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)	During each of the 3 stimulation visits, participants will be seated in a comfortable position and a cap will be placed on participant's head similar to a swimming cap. Small electrodes will be placed near the surface of the scalp at certain regions of interest, and a weak electrical current will be passed through the electrodes into speech related brain areas for 20 minutes. The study team will not use current strengths exceeding 2 milliamps (mA).

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-08-05
• Primary completion: 2029-12-01
• Completion: 2029-12-01
• First posted: 2024-12-18
• Last updated: 2025-09-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study