Language and Brain Rhythms

NCT04457622 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 69HCL20_03332020-A01231-38
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 356
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

For humans and other animals, predicting the timing of sensory events is essential for their daily behavior. Importantly, natural sensory stimulation (such as movements, music, or speech) can present temporal regularities allowing for temporal prediction of incoming sensory information. For instance, individuals can easily predict in time the next step of a walker, or the next beat of a song based on the rhythm. The phenomenon of temporal prediction has for now only been investigated experimentally in deterministic scenarios, i.e. when the duration between two sensory events is fixed, or when stimuli present a regular beat. The objective of this project is to understand how we process more natural, hence more complex forms of temporal regularities, and how individuals make inferences on the timing of sensory events based on past temporal statistics of sensory information. This is particularly important for speech processing, considering that speech is an acoustic signal that is known to possess some form of temporal regularity, and yet is not purely rhythmic nor does have a deterministic temporal structure. Temporal regularities are specific to each spoken language, and both native and non-native language listeners are known to use temporal acoustic cues during speech listening. This affects speech comprehension and has a strong impact during language learning. Hence, understanding the processing of temporal regularities in speech can help improve language abilities in first and second language learners. The project is composed of four experiments. The first behavioral experiment will investigate how auditory perception is affected by the temporal statistics of past sensory information using artificial stimuli. The second axis will investigate the neural mechanisms underlying auditory timing processing with electroencephalography (EEG). The last Magnetoencephalography (MEG, experiment 3) and EG (rxperiement 4) experiment will test the role of temporal statistics in an ecological setting, namely speech listening. The project will thus provide strong theoretical advances as it will give new insights on brain mechanisms for the processing of complex temporal information in audition and speech, and their role in language comprehension. It will also provide methodological advances. Specifically, the project will contribute to the development and validation of cutting-edge methods in MEG. Namely, it will aim at creating new tools to investigate the neural correlates of auditory and speech processing with an unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution.

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Keywords

Auditory Perception; Speech; Neuroimaging

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Stimulus-Brain (EEG) Coherence in the delta-theta range (1 Hz - 8 Hz)

  at max 90 days

• Amplitude of EEG evoked responses to the target stimuli

  at max 90 days

• Stimulus-Brain (MEG) Coherence in the delta-theta range (1 Hz - 8 Hz)

  at max 90 days

• Amplitude of MEG evoked responses to the target stimuli

  at max 90 days

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Percentage of correct responses

  at max 90 days

• Response Times

  at max 90 days

Study Arms (1)

Main study group

EXPERIMENTAL

All participants signed up for experiment 1, 2, 3 or 4 complete the same protocol (1 study arm) with an intent for intra-subject correlational analyses

Other: Auditory perception tasks in healthy participants

Interventions

Auditory perception tasks in healthy participants OTHER

The participants complete auditory perception tasks while EEG, and MEG record brain signals (primary outcome measure). The tasks acquire behavioral responses with button presses (secondary outcome measure). All analyses are intra-subject (no analyses are between-subject).

Main study group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• For all experiments:
• years old
• Registration with the French healthcare system
• Informed consent
• Normal hearing
• Additionally, for experiments 2,3 and 4 :
• \- Right handed
• Additionally, for experiment 3 and 4:
• \- French as native language

You may not qualify if:

• For All Experiments:
• Neurological or psychiatric illnesses or a history of such problems that could impact quality/variability of data or cooperation and retention of the subject in the study
• Regular use of medications that impact the central nervous system
• Regular use of medications, such as opioids and antidepressants, including SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants
• Severe hearing loss
• A history of stroke or recent trauma to the head
• Persons unable to adhere to abstinence from the use of drugs or alcohol the day or evening before experimental sessions
• Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have given birth in the last 6 months
• Additionally, for experiment 2,3 and 4 :
• A pacemaker, insulin or other pump, neurostimulator, cochlear implants or other hearing aid, metal stents, prosthesis, or implants, intracerebral clips, implantable defibrillator, cerebral shunt or ventricular catheter, other foreign metal objects in the upper part of the body
• any dental apparatus containing metal including or root canals
• any foreign metallic object anywhere in the body
• bolts, screws
• orthopedic devices or implants
• Additionally, for experiment 3 and 4:

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hospices Civils de Lyon: lead

Study Sites (1)

Centre de Recherche en Neuroscience de Lyon

Bron, 69500, France

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Speech

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Verbal Behavior; Communication; Behavior

Study Officials

• Anne KOSEM, PhD

  Centre de recherche de Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Anne KOSEM, PhD

CONTACT

4.72.13.89.16; anne.kosem@inserm.fr

Mathilde Bonnefond, PhD

CONTACT

4 72 13 89 03; mathilde.bonnefond@inserm.fr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 12, 2020
• First Posted: July 7, 2020
• Study Start: February 18, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 18, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 18, 2026
• Last Updated: January 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Locations

FR (1)