20 Participants NeededMy employer runs this trial

Vibrotactile Stimulation for Spasmodic Dysphonia

(Neuro-VTS-LD Trial)

JK
YT
Overseen ByYu-ting Tseng, PhD
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of Minnesota
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is a focal dystonia affecting laryngeal muscles, causing involuntary spasms that impair speech production. Recent research demonstrated that non-invasive vibrotactile stimulation (VTS) of the laryngeal area can provide acute symptom relief in up to 57% of patients, with improvements in voice quality and reductions in perceived speech effort lasting from minutes to several days. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this therapeutic effect and the factors determining individual treatment response remain incompletely understood. The objective is to evaluate the acute effects of VTS on voice and speech parameters in participants with LD while characterizing associated changes in brain resting-state networks using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Inclusion Criteria

LD
* Diagnosis of laryngeal dystonia previously made by a voice disorder specialist and confirmed by Dr. Misono, UM Otolaryngology.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive vibro-tactile stimulation (VTS) in a controlled laboratory setting for about 20 minutes, with MRI scans before and after the VTS

1 day
1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in brain resting-state networks and voice parameters after VTS

4 hours

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Vibrotactile Stimulation

How Is the Trial Designed?

2

Treatment groups

Active Control

Group I: Laryngeal Dystonia PatientsActive Control1 Intervention
Group II: Healthy ControlsActive Control1 Intervention

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Minnesota

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,459
Recruited
1,623,000+