Sensory Basis of Speech Motor Learning

September 1, 2026 updated by: Yale University

Brain Structures in Speech Motor Memory Consolidation

These studies test the hypothesis that sensory areas of the brain participate in the consolidation of speech motor memory by using transcranial magnetic stimulation to suppress activity in somatosensory and auditory cortex following adaptation in order to block retention of learning.

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Subjects will train using altered auditory feedback. Immediately following adaptation, continuous theta burst magnetic stimulation (cTBS) will be applied to either auditory or somatosensory or motor cortex with the goal of blocking consolidation of motor memory. The logic of applying cTBS to both sensory areas is to test the hypothesis that both areas are involved in motor memory consolidation. Subjects leave the laboratory following cTBS and return 24 hours later to assess retention of learning. Learning is assessed as percentage change in speech sounds (first formant frequency) relative to baseline.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Quebec
      • Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A1G1
        • McGill University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 40 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • right handed adults
  • no known physical or neurological abnormalities

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients with:
  • cardiac pacemaker
  • surgical clips or values on the heart
  • implants
  • metal or metallic fragments in any part of the body
  • pregnancy
  • claustrophobia
  • a personal or family history of epilepsy
  • currently taking antipsychotic drugs
  • currently taking antidepressant drugs
  • currently taking antianxiety drugs
  • history of concussion.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + cTBS to S1

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + cTBS to S1
Behavioral: Adaptation

Sensorimotor adaptation in speech

Other: cTBS

continuous theta-burst stimulation
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + cTBS to A1

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + cTBS to A1
Behavioral: Adaptation

Sensorimotor adaptation in speech

Other: cTBS

continuous theta-burst stimulation
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + cTBS to M1

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback + cTBS to M1
Behavioral: Adaptation

Sensorimotor adaptation in speech

Other: cTBS

continuous theta-burst stimulation
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback (Control)

Adaptation to Altered Auditory Feedback (Control)
Behavioral: Adaptation

Sensorimotor adaptation in speech

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Percent Change in F1 to Assess Motor Learning
Time Frame: Baseline and end of learning (30 minute session)

Learning is assessed as change in speech sounds (speech formant frequencies, F1) relative to baseline. The first formant frequency (F1) is the lowest resonant frequency of the vocal tract. Lower F1 Numbers Indicate a high or "closed" tongue position). Higher F1 Numbers indicate a low or "open" jaw position. Absolute numbers vary depending on a person's age and vocal tract size. Percent change calculated as ((F1 end of learning value minus F1 baseline value)/ F1 baseline value)*100).
Baseline and end of learning (30 minute session)
Mean Percent Change in F1 to Assess Retention of Learning
Time Frame: Baseline and 24 hours after learning (re-test lasts 30 minutes)

First formant frequency change (F1) relative to baseline is the dependent measure of retention. Percent change calculated as ((F1 end of retention value minus F1 baseline value)/ F1 baseline value)*100).
Baseline and 24 hours after learning (re-test lasts 30 minutes)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Yale University

Collaborators

McGill University
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: David Ostry, Haskins Laboratories

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

August 1, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 31, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

July 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 30, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 30, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

August 4, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 1, 2026

Last Verified

September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2000025475
  • R01DC017439 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Subscribe