Speech Motor Learning and Retention (Master Protocol)

NCT ID: NCT06467292

Last Updated: 2026-02-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

330 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-10-01

Study Completion Date

2029-05-31

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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Aim 1 involves tests of speech motor memory retention following disruption of left hemisphere brain activity in either auditory, somatosensory or motor cortex or to a control site (hand area motor cortex right hemisphere). Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) is delivered following adaptation to altered auditory feedback to assess its effects on the retention of new learning.

Aim 2 assesses the temporal order in which plasticity occurs in cortical motor and sensory brain areas during speech motor learning.

In Aim 3, resting-state fMRI will be interleaved with speech motor adaptation. For information specific to each aim, please refer to the below corresponding, separate, clinicaltrials.gov records: unique IDs: 2000037622\_a for Aim 1, 2000037622\_b for Aim 2 and 2000037622\_c for Aim 3.

Conditions

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Speech

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Healthy right-handed adults with normal hearing will be recruited in equal number from both sexes. All participants will be fluent English speakers.
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Speech Motor Learning and Retention Aim 1

Aim 1: Participants will perform learning tasks while receiving altered/unaltered auditory feedback with cTBS applied to the appropriate area of the brain following learning. Retention of learning is assessed 24 hours later.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS)

Intervention Type 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

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Auditory adaptation in speech

Speech Motor Learning and Retention Aim 2

Aim 2: Participants will perform learning tasks combined with shifted auditory feedback. Motor cortical excitability will be measured using single-pulse TMS to elicit motor evoked potentials.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Adaptation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Auditory adaptation in speech

Single pulse Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Intervention Type DEVICE

TMS will be delivered 10 times in each motor evoked potentials (MEP) recording block.

Speech Motor Learning and Retention Aim 3

Aim 3: Participants will have fMRI with behavioral measures of speech motor learning.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Adaptation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Auditory adaptation in speech

fMRI

Intervention Type DEVICE

To assess functional connectivity patterns between regions that predict learning.

Interventions

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continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS)

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.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Adaptation

Auditory adaptation in speech

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Single pulse Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

TMS will be delivered 10 times in each motor evoked potentials (MEP) recording block.

Intervention Type DEVICE

fMRI

To assess functional connectivity patterns between regions that predict learning.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

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

Exclusion Criteria

* 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
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Yale University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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David Ostry

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Yale University

Locations

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Yale Child Study Center

New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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David Ostry

Role: CONTACT

2038656163

Other Identifiers

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1R01DC022097-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

2000037622

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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