Effects of Tool Handling on Language Processing
ConditionYoung Adults
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age19-24
SponsorFederal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre
About this trial
This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of a context-specific tool-handling intervention on linguistic processing in healthy young adults. Participants will be allocated into three groups: a dexterous tool-use training group, a dexterous manual training group without tools, and a Control group.
The dexterous tool-use training group will perform a task-oriented activity involving the use of tweezers to place colored beads into a mandala within a specific functional context. The intervention requires sequential motor planning, force control, precision, and goal-directed tool use. The dexterous manual training group without tools will perform a similar bead-placement activity without tool use, involving direct hand manipulation and lower task complexity. Both intervention groups will participate in synchronous online sessions via Google Meet for 20 minutes per day, five times per week, over a two-week period.
The Control group will not receive any structured intervention and will instead be instructed to perform one activity of daily living using the non-dominant upper limb once per day during the two-week period.
Linguistic processing will be assessed through a sentence judgment task involving sentences with and without semantic violations, in which participants will classify the sentences as correct or incorrect while electroencephalographic activity (EEG) is recorded. Additionally, sleep quality and manual dexterity will also be evaluated.
The findings of this study may contribute to understanding the relationship between tool-related motor training and linguistic processing, particularly the interaction between motor and language systems in healthy young adults. Additionally, the study may provide evidence regarding neurophysiological changes associated with context-specific motor interventions.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Healthy young adults aged between 19 and 24 years;
Right-handed individuals.
Disqualifiers
Previous diagnosis of neurological and/or psychiatric disorders;
History of traumatic brain injury;
Use of psychoactive substances or medications that may affect cognitive functioning;
Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Dexterous tool-use training
BehavioralThe intervention will be supervised by a researcher through assynchronous way. Participants will perform a task-oriented activity involving the use of tweezers to place colored beads into a mandala within a functional and goal-directed context.
Dexterous manual training group without tools (Online)
BehavioralThe intervention will be supervised by a researcher through assynchronous way. Participants will perform a bead-placement activity directly with their hands, without the use of tools.
Control
BehavioralParticipants allocated to the control group will not receive structured training. They will be instructed to perform one activity of daily living using the non-dominant upper limb once per day during the two-week study period.
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groupsGroup A: Dexterous tool-use trainingExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Dexterous manual training group without toolsActive comparator 1 intervention
Group C: ControlActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Assessment of Synthatic Processing Performance - Reaction time
Linguistic processing will be evaluated through a computerized sentence judgment task composed of 60 sentences containing grammatical agreement violations and control sentences. Reaction time will be measured as the time elapsed between the presentation of each sentence and the participant's button press indicating whether the sentence is grammatically correct or incorrect. Mean reaction time across trials will be reported in milliseconds (ms).
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)2
Assessment of Synthatic Processing Performance - Accuracy
Linguistic processing will be evaluated through a computerized sentence judgment task composed of 60 sentences containing grammatical agreement violations and control sentences. Accuracy will be assessed as the absolute number of correct responses. The absolute number of incorrect responses (errors) will also be recorded.
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)Secondary outcomes
1
N200 Event-Related Potential Mean Amplitude
Event-related potentials (ERPs) will be recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) during a computerized linguistic judgment task involving sentences with and without gender and number agreement violations. The mean amplitude of the N200 component will be measured within the predefined time window and electrodes of interest.
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)2
P300 Event-Related Potential Mean Amplitude
Event-related potentials (ERPs) will be recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) during a computerized linguistic judgment task involving sentences with and without gender and number agreement violations. The mean amplitude of the P300 component will be measured within the predefined time window and electrodes of interest.
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)3
N200 Event-Related Potential Peak Latency
Event-related potentials (ERPs) will be recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) during a computerized linguistic judgment task involving sentences with and without gender and number agreement violations. The peak latency of the N200 component will be measured within the predefined time window and electrodes of interest.
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)4
P300 Event-Related Potential Peak latency
Event-related potentials (ERPs) will be recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) during a computerized linguistic judgment task involving sentences with and without gender and number agreement violations. The peaky latency of the P300 component will be measured within the predefined time window and electrodes of interest.
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)Other outcomes
1
Assessment of Sleep Quality
Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The questionnaire evaluates subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Total scores range from 0 to 21, with scores above 5 indicating poor sleep quality.
Time frame
Change from PRE assessment (up to 1 week before intervention) to POST assessment (up to 1 week after intervention completion)Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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