Deep Brain Stimulation for Speech Sequencing in Parkinson's Disease
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This study will examine how two important brain circuits - one involving the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and one involving the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (VIM) - contribute to learning and producing speech sequences. Participants will include two groups: 1. individuals with Parkinson's disease who have deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices targeting the STN and 2. individuals with essential tremor who have DBS devices targeting the VIM.
Participants will complete speech tasks involving the learning and repetition of novel sound sequences. During some parts of the study, DBS stimulation will be temporarily turned on or off in a controlled research setting. This will allow researchers to examine how stimulation affects both the learning of new speech sequences and the production of previously learned sequences. All STN participants and most VIM participants will also be equipped with a cutting-edge DBS system, the Percept PC, which will enable the recording of deep brain activity during the tasks.
The results of this study will improve our understanding of how different brain circuits support speech learning and production. In particular, this study will help to differentiate the roles of the STN and VIM in learning the ordering of speech sounds within a syllable from learning of speech sequences containing multiple syllables. This knowledge may help guide future approaches to optimizing DBS settings to improve both movement and speech outcomes in individuals with neurological disorders, as well as provide greater general insight into how these brain structures contribute to speech production and learning.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Frank H Guenther, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Boston University
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Baseline Assessment
Participants undergo cognitive and motor assessments to establish baseline measures
Treatment
Participants complete speech tasks with DBS stimulation turned on and off to study effects on speech sequencing
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for any changes in speech production and cognitive function post-treatment
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Cessation and re-enabling of stimulation of the STN
- Cessation and re-enabling of stimulation of the VIM thalamic nucleus
- Multisyllabic sequence learning
- Phoneme sequence learning
How Is the Trial Designed?
4
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Arm 3: subjects with implanted VIM deep brain stimulators will undergo learning tasks involving non-English sound sequences while their stimulators are turned on and off
Arm 4: subjects with implanted VIM deep brain stimulators will undergo learning tasks involving syllable sequences while their stimulators are turned on and off
Arm 1: subjects with implanted STN deep brain stimulators will undergo learning tasks involving non-English sound sequences while their stimulators are turned on and off
Arm 2: subjects with implanted STN deep brain stimulators will undergo learning tasks involving syllable sequences while their stimulators are turned on and off
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Boston University Charles River Campus
Lead Sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Collaborator
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Collaborator
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