Somatosensory Feedback for Speech Perception

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By David Ostry

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Yale University

Must not be taking: Antipsychotics, Antidepressants, Antianxiety

Disqualifiers: Pacemaker, Implants, Pregnancy, Epilepsy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

160 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

These studies test the hypothesis that the repeated pairing of somatosensory inputs with speech sounds, such as occurs during speech motor learning, results in changes to the perceptual classification of speech sounds.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are currently taking antipsychotic, antidepressant, or antianxiety medications, you will need to stop taking them to participate in this trial.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Adaptation, Facial Skin Stretch for speech perception?

Research shows that stretching the facial skin can change how people hear speech sounds, indicating that the somatosensory system (which processes touch and body sensations) plays a role in understanding speech. This suggests that facial skin stretch could help improve speech perception by influencing how the brain processes speech sounds. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the somatosensory feedback treatment for speech perception safe for humans?

The research does not specifically address safety concerns, but it involves non-invasive techniques like facial skin stretching, which are generally considered safe in similar contexts. ^{1 2 5 6 7}

How does the somatosensory feedback treatment for speech perception differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it uses somatosensory feedback (sensory input from the skin and muscles) to influence speech perception, unlike traditional methods that focus primarily on auditory feedback. By using a robotic device to manipulate facial skin, it highlights the role of somatosensory inputs in altering how speech sounds are processed, offering a novel approach to improving speech perception. ^{1 2 5 8 9}

Research Team

David Ostry

Principal Investigator

Haskins Laboratories

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for right-handed adults with no known physical or neurological abnormalities. It's not suitable for those on antidepressants, antipsychotics, or anti-anxiety drugs; individuals with a pacemaker, metal implants, or fragments; anyone who is claustrophobic, pregnant, or has a personal/family history of epilepsy.

Inclusion Criteria

I am right-handed.

I do not have any known physical or neurological abnormalities.

Exclusion Criteria

You have a pacemaker for your heart.

metal or metallic fragments in any part of the body

You are pregnant.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Training

Participants undergo training involving repeated pairing of somatosensory and auditory inputs to assess changes in speech perception.

30 minutes

1 session (in-person)

Assessment

Base-line and post-training auditory perceptual performance are examined to evaluate the effects of the pairing on speech perception.

30 minutes

1 session (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any lasting changes in speech perception and motor learning.

1-2 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Adaptation
• Facial Skin Stretch

Trial Overview The study tests if repeated pairing of touch (somatosensory inputs) and speech sounds can change how we perceive these sounds. Participants will experience facial skin stretching as part of the process to see if it affects speech perception.

Participant Groups

Group I: Speech Repetition Control Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Speech Repetition Control

Group II: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + Forward Skin Stretch Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + Forward Skin Stretch

Group III: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + Backward Skin Stretch Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + Backward Skin Stretch

Group IV: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Yale University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,963

Recruited

3,046,000+

McGill University

Collaborator

Trials

421

Recruited

1,017,000+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+

Findings from Research

The study demonstrates that the somatosensory system, which processes sensations from the skin and muscles, plays a role in how we perceive speech sounds.

Using a robotic device to stretch facial skin while participants listened to words, researchers found that this skin deformation altered the sounds heard, indicating that sensory inputs can influence speech perception.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Somatosensory function in speech perception. Ito, T., Tiede, M., Ostry, DJ.[2021]

Speech sounds can significantly alter the perception of facial somatosensory inputs, indicating a strong interaction between auditory and somatosensory systems during speech production.

This study used a robotic device to simulate facial skin deformation patterns associated with speech, demonstrating that the modulation of somatosensory processing is specific to speech and does not occur with nonspeech sounds or other body areas.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Speech sounds alter facial skin sensation. Ito, T., Ostry, DJ.[2021]

The somatosensory system plays a significant role in speech perception, alongside auditory and visual inputs, as evidenced by physiological and neuroanatomical interactions between auditory and somatosensory systems.

Research shows that tactile stimulation can alter speech perception, and activity in the somatosensory cortex is linked to processing speech sounds, indicating that our sense of touch may help us understand spoken language.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Towards a somatosensory theory of speech perception. Franken, MK., Liu, BC., Ostry, DJ.[2023]

Tactile stimulation of speech envelopes on the skin can enhance the brain's ability to track auditory speech signals, as shown by improved cortical tracking in EEG measurements, particularly when the tactile input precedes the auditory input by 100 milliseconds or less.

While tactile input improves neural tracking of speech, it does not enhance the intelligibility of degraded auditory speech, suggesting that while it aids in processing, it may not directly help in understanding the speech content.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Audio-tactile enhancement of cortical speech-envelope tracking. Riecke, L., Snipes, S., van Bree, S., et al.[2020]

The study demonstrates that the somatosensory system significantly influences auditory perception of speech, independent of its role in motor function, highlighting its importance in perceptual recalibration.

While somatosensory modulation during speech motor adaptation did not change the overall adaptation outcome, it did affect the rate of adaptation and altered speech perception based on the direction of the modulation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recalibration of auditory perception of speech due to orofacial somatosensory inputs during speech motor adaptation. Ohashi, H., Ito, T.[2022]

Speech motor learning involves significant changes in how the brain processes both auditory and somatosensory information, as shown through experiments with altered auditory feedback.

As participants adapted their speech to correct for changes in auditory feedback, there were measurable changes in their speech outputs and corresponding neural responses, indicating a close relationship between sensory processing and motor adaptation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Speech motor learning changes the neural response to both auditory and somatosensory signals. Ito, T., Coppola, JH., Ostry, DJ.[2018]

In a study involving eight subjects, it was found that when auditory feedback of speech was altered, participants consistently adjusted their speech production to compensate, indicating a strong reliance on auditory feedback for speech control.

The research also revealed that while both auditory and somatosensory feedback contribute to speech production, auditory feedback plays a more dominant role in planning and adapting vowel-related articulatory movements.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integration of auditory and somatosensory error signals in the neural control of speech movements. Feng, Y., Gracco, VL., Max, L.[2021]

A study using a robotic device to stretch facial skin showed that this manipulation enhanced lip protrusion during speech tasks, indicating that cutaneous afferents play a significant role in motor learning.

The findings suggest that the nervous system adapts motor commands based on sensory input from the skin, demonstrating that changes in sensory feedback can lead to improved motor performance, even when the sensory input is removed before movement initiation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Somatosensory contribution to motor learning due to facial skin deformation. Ito, T., Ostry, DJ.[2021]

The study suggests that somatosensory feedback, related to the movements of the jaw during speech, plays a crucial role in how we monitor and adjust our speech, potentially more so than auditory feedback.

When both auditory and somatosensory feedback were altered during speech, participants showed varying preferences for relying on one type of feedback over the other, indicating that individuals may have different strategies for speech motor learning.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sensory preference in speech production revealed by simultaneous alteration of auditory and somatosensory feedback. Lametti, DR., Nasir, SM., Ostry, DJ.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Somatosensory function in speech perception. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Speech sounds alter facial skin sensation. [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Towards a somatosensory theory of speech perception. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Audio-tactile enhancement of cortical speech-envelope tracking. [2020]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recalibration of auditory perception of speech due to orofacial somatosensory inputs during speech motor adaptation. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Speech motor learning changes the neural response to both auditory and somatosensory signals. [2018]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integration of auditory and somatosensory error signals in the neural control of speech movements. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Somatosensory contribution to motor learning due to facial skin deformation. [2021]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sensory preference in speech production revealed by simultaneous alteration of auditory and somatosensory feedback. [2021]