Imaging Speech for Cerebellar Stroke

Overseen By Alexander Ocampo, B.A.

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh

Must not be taking: Neuropsychiatric drugs

Disqualifiers: Neurological disease, Hearing loss, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 7

100 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this research study is to learn how the brain areas that plan and control movement interact with the areas responsible for hearing and perceiving speech in healthy adults and people who have had cerebellar strokes. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What regions of the brain's sensory systems show changes in their activity related to speech? 2. To what extent do these regions help listeners detect and correct speech errors? 3. What is the role of the cerebellum (a part of the brain in the back of the head) in these activities? Participants will be asked to complete several experimental sessions involving behavioral speech and related tests and non-invasive brain imaging using electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Research Team

Jason W Bohland, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Pittsburgh

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults who speak normally and those who have had a stroke affecting the cerebellum, which is part of the brain that helps coordinate movement. Participants should be willing to undergo various speech tests and non-invasive brain imaging like EEG and fMRI.

Inclusion Criteria

I am over 18, right-handed, speak English natively, and had a cerebellar stroke.

Exclusion Criteria

Cohort 3 (controls matched to Cohort 2): Presence of MRI risk factors, History of neurological disease, injury, or impairment, Hearing loss, Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a neuropsychiatric disorder, Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a speech, language, or hearing disorder, Head circumference greater than 60cm or weight greater than 300 pounds, History of claustrophobia, Currently pregnant

Cohort 1 (neurotypical adults): Presence of MRI risk factors, History of neurological disease, injury, or impairment, Hearing loss, Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a neuropsychiatric disorder, Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a speech, language, or hearing disorder, Head circumference greater than 60cm or weight greater than 300 pounds, History of claustrophobia, Currently pregnant

Cohort 2 (people with cerebellar lesions): Presence of MRI risk factors, Hearing loss, Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a neuropsychiatric disorder, Head circumference greater than 60cm or weight greater than 300 pounds, History of claustrophobia, Currently pregnant

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 session

1 visit (in-person)

Experimental Sessions

Participants complete up to 6 sessions involving behavioral speech tests and non-invasive brain imaging using EEG and fMRI

Up to 6 sessions

Up to 6 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after experimental sessions

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Trial Overview The study investigates how different brain areas involved in planning, controlling movements, hearing, and perceiving speech work together. It involves auditory tests, monitoring neural responses during speech tasks, learning behaviors, silent articulation response tracking, and comparing self-generated versus external speech processing.

Participant Groups

Group I: Speech behavior and functional imaging Experimental Treatment 9 Interventions

Assessing the neural correlates of speaking-induced sensory modulation in all three cohorts using behavior and neuroimaging tasks in up to 6 sessions.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pittsburgh

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,820

Recruited

16,360,000+

Northwestern University

Collaborator

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+