Speech Motor Learning and Retention (Master Protocol)

ConditionSpeech

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age18-40

SponsorYale University

About this trial

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.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Fluent English speakers

Right-handed

Normal hearing

No speech disorder or reading disability

Disqualifiers

Cardiac pacemaker

Aneurysm clip

Heart or Vascular clip

Prosthetic valve

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS)
Device
cTBS stimulation will be applied to different areas of the brain following learning. Stimulation will take place following learning in order to block motor memory retention.
Adaptation
Behavioral
Auditory adaptation in speech
Single pulse Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Device
TMS will be delivered 10 times in each motor evoked potentials (MEP) recording block.
fMRI
Device
To assess functional connectivity patterns between regions that predict learning.

Treatment groups

330 Participants

are divided into 3 treatment groups

Group A: Speech Motor Learning and Retention Aim 1Experimental treatment 2 interventions

Group B: Speech Motor Learning and Retention Aim 2Experimental treatment 2 interventions

Group C: Speech Motor Learning and Retention Aim 3Experimental treatment 2 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

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.

Time frame

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.

Time frame

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

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Yale University

Lead sponsor

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

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