Speech Motor Learning and Retention (Aim 2)

NCT06491823 | Recruiting FDA Device

• 2 other identifiers: 2000037622_b1R01DC022097-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The overall goal of this research is to test a new model of speech motor learning, whose central hypothesis is that learning and retention are associated with plasticity not only in motor areas of the brain but in auditory and somatosensory regions as well. The strategy for the proposed research is to identify individual brain areas that contribute causally to retention by disrupting their activity with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Investigators will also use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which will enable identification of circuit-level activity which predicts either learning or retention of new movements, and hence test the specific contributions of candidate sensory and motor zones. In other studies, investigators will record sensory and motor evoked potentials over the course of learning to determine the temporal order in which individual sensory and cortical motor regions contribute. The goal here is to identify brain areas in which learning-related plasticity occurs first and which among these areas predict subsequent learning.

Conditions

Speech

Keywords

Speech Motor Learning; Retention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Speech motor learning

  Audapter software will be used to alter the first and second formant frequencies of the spoken words and this is played back to subjects through headphones. Subjects will be tested both with unaltered feedback and with abruptly introduced frequency shifts.The change in the first (F1) and second format frequency (F2) values will be assessed using Praat.

  Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

• Retention of learning

  The retention of adaptation to altered auditory feedback (and relearning) will be quantified in terms of F1 and F2 frequency shifts (relative to pre-training baseline). Larger values indicate more complete relearning or retention.

  24 hours after learning (re-test lasts 30 minutes)

• Motor evoked potentials (MEPs)

  Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) using single-pulse TMS will be recorded using surface electromyography (EMG) to measure MEP peak-to-peak response

  Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

• Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs)

  Electrical stimulation will be used to elicit somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). SEPs will be recorded using electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the SEP response in the interval 20 to 25 ms following stimulation (N20-P25 response).

  Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

• Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs)

  Acoustical stimulation will be used to elicit auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). AEPs will be recorded using electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the AEP response in the interval between the first positive peak and first negative peak following stimulation (P1-N1 response).

  Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

Study Arms (6)

MEPs (M1) / altered auditory feedback / MEPs + retention tests at 24h

EXPERIMENTAL

Evoked potentials will be recorded from brain area M1 (motor cortex) in combination with a speech motor learning procedure known as adaptation to altered auditory feedback. Retention of learning will be tested 24h later along with additional evoked potential recordings.

Behavioral: Adaptation; Device: Motor evoked potentials

AEPs (A1) / altered auditory feedback / AEPs + retention tests at 24h

EXPERIMENTAL

Evoked potentials will be recorded from brain area A1 (auditory cortex) in combination with a speech motor learning procedure known as adaptation to altered auditory feedback. Retention of learning will be tested 24h later along with additional evoked potential recordings.

Behavioral: Adaptation; Device: Auditory evoked potentials

SEPs (S1) / altered auditory feedback / SEPs + retention tests at 24h

EXPERIMENTAL

Evoked potentials will be recorded from brain area S1 (somatosensory cortex) in combination with a speech motor learning procedure known as adaptation to altered auditory feedback. Retention of learning will be tested 24h later along with additional evoked potential recordings.

Behavioral: Adaptation; Device: Somatosensory evoked potentials

MEPs (M1) / unaltered auditory feedback / MEPs + retention tests at 24h

EXPERIMENTAL

Evoked potentials will be recorded from brain area M1 (motor cortex) in combination with unaltered auditory feedback. Retention of learning will be tested 24h later along with additional evoked potential recordings.

Behavioral: Adaptation baseline; Device: Motor evoked potentials

AEPs (A1) / unaltered auditory feedback / AEPs + retention tests at 24h

EXPERIMENTAL

Evoked potentials will be recorded from brain area A1 (auditory cortex) in combination with unaltered auditory feedback. Retention of learning will be tested 24h later along with additional evoked potential recordings.

Behavioral: Adaptation baseline; Device: Auditory evoked potentials

SEPs (S1) / unaltered auditory feedback / SEPs + retention tests at 24h

EXPERIMENTAL

Evoked potentials will be recorded from brain area S1 (somatosensory cortex) in combination with unaltered auditory feedback. Retention of learning will be tested 24h later along with additional evoked potential recordings.

Behavioral: Adaptation baseline; Device: Somatosensory evoked potentials

Interventions

Adaptation BEHAVIORAL

Auditory adaptation in speech

AEPs (A1) / altered auditory feedback / AEPs + retention tests at 24h; MEPs (M1) / altered auditory feedback / MEPs + retention tests at 24h; SEPs (S1) / altered auditory feedback / SEPs + retention tests at 24h

Adaptation baseline BEHAVIORAL

Auditory baseline in speech

AEPs (A1) / unaltered auditory feedback / AEPs + retention tests at 24h; MEPs (M1) / unaltered auditory feedback / MEPs + retention tests at 24h; SEPs (S1) / unaltered auditory feedback / SEPs + retention tests at 24h

Motor evoked potentials DEVICE

motor evoked potentials will be obtained in each recording block

MEPs (M1) / altered auditory feedback / MEPs + retention tests at 24h; MEPs (M1) / unaltered auditory feedback / MEPs + retention tests at 24h

Auditory evoked potentials DEVICE

auditory evoked potentials will be obtained in each recording block

AEPs (A1) / altered auditory feedback / AEPs + retention tests at 24h; AEPs (A1) / unaltered auditory feedback / AEPs + retention tests at 24h

Somatosensory evoked potentials DEVICE

Somatosensry evoked potentials will be obtained in each recording block

SEPs (S1) / altered auditory feedback / SEPs + retention tests at 24h; SEPs (S1) / unaltered auditory feedback / SEPs + retention tests at 24h

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Fluent English speakers
• Right-handed
• Normal hearing
• No speech disorder or reading disability

You may not qualify if:

• Cardiac pacemaker
• Aneurysm clip
• Heart or Vascular clip
• Prosthetic valve
• Metal implants
• Metal in brain, skull, or spinal cord
• Implanted neurostimulator
• Medication infusion device
• Cochlear implant or tinnitus (ringing in ears)
• Personal and/or family history of epilepsy or other neurological disorders or history of head concussion
• Psychoactive medications
• Pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yale University: lead
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Yale Child Study Center

New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Speech

Interventions

Acclimatization

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Verbal Behavior; Communication; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Adaptation, Physiological; Physiological Phenomena; Adaptation, Biological; Biological Phenomena

Study Officials

• David Ostry

  Yale University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

David Ostry

CONTACT

2038656163; david.ostry@yale.edu

Study Design

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

Model Details: Healthy right-handed adults with normal hearing will be recruited in equal number from both sexes. All participants will be fluent English speakers.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2024
• First Posted: July 9, 2024
• Study Start: October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2029
• Last Updated: February 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)