Sensory Basis of Speech Motor Learning

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: Recruiting
• Conditions: Consolidation; Speech
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Adaptation; Other: cTBS

Detailed Description

Subjects will train using either altered somatosensory feedback or altered auditory feedback (different groups of subjects). 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 or movements relative to baseline. Retention is measured on a 0 to 100 scale relative to the end of learning.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 160
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: David Ostry; Phone Number: 2038656163; Email: david.ostry@yale.edu

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Quebec
    • Montréal, Quebec, Canada, H3A1G1
      • Recruiting
      • McGill University
      • Contact: Vincent Gracco; Email: vincent.gracco@mcgill.ca

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

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

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Sensory Feedback + cTBS to S1	Behavioral: Adaptation; Sensorimotor adaptation in speech; Other: cTBS; continuous theta-burst stimulation
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Sensory Feedback + cTBS to A1	Behavioral: Adaptation; Sensorimotor adaptation in speech; Other: cTBS; continuous theta-burst stimulation
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Sensory Feedback + cTBS to M1	Behavioral: Adaptation; Sensorimotor adaptation in speech; Other: cTBS; continuous theta-burst stimulation
Experimental: Adaptation to Altered Sensory Feedback + Sham cTBS	Behavioral: Adaptation; Sensorimotor adaptation in speech; Other: cTBS; continuous theta-burst stimulation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Motor Learning	Learning is assessed as percentage change in speech sounds (speech formant frequencies) or movements (movement curvature) relative to baseline.	Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)
Retention of Learning	Retention is measured on a 0 to 100 scale relative to the end of learning.	24 hours after learning (re-test lasts 30 minutes)

Collaborators and Investigators

• 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

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2019
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): 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): March 25, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• 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