NCT07459803 Investigating Individual Differences in Speech Motor Skills in Neurotypical Speakers and Persons With Disordered Speech
| NCT ID | NCT07459803 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Boston University Charles River Campus |
| Condition | Stuttering, Developmental |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 90 participants |
| Start Date | 2026-06-12 |
| Primary Completion | 2030-03 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 90 participants in total. It began in 2026-06-12 with a primary completion date of 2030-03.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
This study aims to understand how people use different types of feedback to control their speech. When an individual speaks, the brain relies on several systems at the same time, such as sensory systems that monitor an individuals own voice and the movements of their speech muscles, and a motor system that builds and reads out learned motor patterns. The investigators are studying how these systems work together and how they differ across individuals. Investigators will test 90 adults between 18 and 50 years old, including people who stutter, people with dyslexia, and people with typical speech and reading development. Participants will complete several short speech tasks in which the sounds they hear or the movements of their jaw or larynx are briefly changed. These responses will be used to measure each person's speech motor skills and to estimate the settings of a computer model called "SimpleDIVA," which simulates how the brain controls speech. Participants will also complete an MRI scan so investigators can measure the structure and connectivity of different brain regions. These measures will help investigators understand how individual differences in the brain relate to the speech motor control skills we observe. Participants will also complete sessions with noninvasive brain stimulation (transcranial current stimulation, or tCS) to examine how stimulation of specific areas of the brain affects responses during the speech tasks. The knowledge gained from this study will help researchers understand why speech motor skills vary across people and how differences in neural function may contribute to conditions such as stuttering and dyslexia.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Native speakers of American English * Adults age 18-50 * Age-appropriate cognitive and receptive vocabulary skills * Age-appropriate hearing * Adults with dyslexia will have a history of dyslexia or report of ongoing reading difficulties that will be confirmed at the first screening visit * Adults who stutter will have a history of stuttering that will be confirmed at the first screening visit Exclusion Criteria: * History of neurological disorder, including a history of seizures * Major brain injury, brain surgery, or stroke * Orthodontia or atypical oral structure (e.g., cleft palate) that interferes with speech * Fluency disorder (except those in the persons who stutter cohort), apraxia of speech, or dysarthria * Language or reading disorder (except those in persons with dyslexia cohort) * Standardized score below 80 on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test * Standardized score below 1 standard deviation on the NIH Toolbox Picture Vocabulary Test * Pregnancy * Severe claustrophobia * Presence of magnetically or mechanically active implant, or other ferromagnetic material embedded in any part of the body * Significant scalp lesions that would prevent transcranial direct stimulation
Contact & Investigator
Frank H Guenther, Ph.D.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Boston University
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT07459803 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 50 Years, studying Stuttering, Developmental. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT07459803 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT07459803 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at guenther@bu.edu for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT07459803 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Boston, United States, Boston, United States.
Who is sponsoring the NCT07459803 clinical trial?
NCT07459803 is sponsored by Boston University Charles River Campus. The principal investigator is Frank H Guenther, Ph.D. at Boston University. The trial plans to enroll 90 participants.
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