Modulation of Sensory Acuity With Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

NCT06234059 | Withdrawn

• 4 other identifiers: 2017-1128 TMS (Exp 8)1R01DC019134-01A1Protocol Version 4/29/2025A481800
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: N/A
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research study is to understand how the brain processes and controls speech in healthy people. The investigators are doing this research because it will help identify the mechanisms that allow people to perceive their own speech errors and to learn new speech sounds, which may be applied to people who have communication disorders. 15 participants will be enrolled into this part of the study and can expect to be on study for 4 visits of 2-4 hours each.

Conditions

Speech

Keywords

speech motor control; vocal learning

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Acoustic vowel space measures: AVS (acoustic vowel spacing)/VSA (vowel space area)

  For speech production tasks, the primary acoustic measure will be adaptation to the altered feedback, defined here as increases in AVS (average vowel spacing), the mean of pairwise formant distances between vowels. The investigators will also include a global measure of working vowel space, the quadrilateral vowel space area (qVSA). qVSA measures the area (in Hz\^2) between the F1/F2 coordinates of the corner vowels. Both the more local AVS and more global qVSA have been linked to speech intelligibility in various types of dysarthria.

  up to 1 hour

Study Arms (1)

Healthy Adult Speakers

EXPERIMENTAL

healthy adult participants across the lifespan in three groups:18-35, 36-55, and 56+

Device: TMS; Behavioral: Speaking Tasks

Interventions

TMS DEVICE

This paradigm uses theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (tbTMS) to modulate the excitability of sensory cortices to examine the effect on sensory acuity and sensorimotor adaptation. Participants will complete three total sessions targeting primary somatosensory cortex (S1): one using intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS), one using continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS), and one with sham stimulation.

Also known as: transcranial magnetic stimulation (continuous and intermittent theta-burst stimulation), electromyography (EMG)

Healthy Adult Speakers

Speaking Tasks BEHAVIORAL

Participants will produce four training words under a vowel centralization feedback paradigm in which auditory feedback is altered. The investigators will measure changes in produced vowels as a result of the altered feedback in concert with the different stimulation regimes described in the TMS intervention.

Healthy Adult Speakers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• English-speaking adults
• normal hearing and speech
• no history of stroke or neurological conditions

You may not qualify if:

• Native language other than English
• Any neurological disorders other than the disorder of interest
• Any history of hearing disorders
• Uncorrected vision problems that prevent participants from seeing visually-presented stimuli
• Significant cognitive impairments that prevent participants from carrying out the task or from giving informed consent
• Vulnerable populations (minors and prisoners)
• Implanted paramagnetic materials (metal clips, plates, pacemakers, etc.)
• Increased risk in the event of a seizure
• Serious heart disease
• Increased intracranial pressure
• Pregnancy
• History of seizures
• Family history of epilepsy
• Epileptogenic medications
• Chronic or transient disruption of sleep (including jet lag)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, Madison: lead
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

Location

Related Links

• Link to study record for experiment 7 \[NCT05723575\]
• Link to study record for experiment 5 \[NCT05286658\]

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Speech

Interventions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Electromyography

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Verbal Behavior; Communication; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Magnetic Field Therapy; Therapeutics; Electrodiagnosis; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Myography

Study Officials

• Carrie Niziolek, PhD

  University of Wisconsin, Madison

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

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: January 22, 2024
• First Posted: January 31, 2024
• Study Start: July 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: July 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (1)