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Noninvasive Thalamocortical Neuromodulation With Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Persistent Developmental Stuttering

12 września 2026 zaktualizowane przez: Hasini Weerathunge, University of Michigan
This research is studying the use of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU; a mild, noninvasive acoustic stimulation technique) in a small number of people to learn about its safety as a treatment for stuttering. LIFU is a small, safe sound signal that produces a gentle, pulsing flow of acoustic waves to help different parts of the brain communicate with each other. Researchers want to understand how the mild, non-invasive brain stimulation affects speech relevant brain areas, which may in turn affect speech fluency and speaking-related brain activity in people who stutter.

Przegląd badań

Status

Rekrutacyjny

Warunki

Interwencja / Leczenie

Szczegółowy opis

This study will investigate whether Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU; also known as transcranial ultrasound stimulation, TUS) targeting the ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus can safely and feasibly modulate neural activity and improve speech fluency in adults with Persistent Developmental Stuttering (PDS).

Adult participants with PDS will be recruited through community advertisements and from existing institutional research registries, including individuals who have previously participated in noninvasive neuromodulation studies and have consented to be re-contacted for future research. All participants will complete an informed consent process prior to any study procedures.

This is a within-subject, sham-controlled study in which participants will attend multiple study visits. Study procedures include: (1) baseline behavioral and speech assessments; (2) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including structural imaging and diffusion tractography, to localize individualized stimulation targets; (3) functional MRI (fMRI) to assess brain connectivity; (4) neuronavigation-guided LIFU stimulation targeting the VIM thalamic nucleus; and (5) concurrent and pre/post behavioral tasks assessing speech production, reading, and rhythm perception. Participants will receive both active and sham LIFU stimulation in separate sessions.

Aim 1 is to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and precision of individualized, MRI-guided LIFU targeting of the left VIM thalamus using neuronavigation and post-hoc acoustic simulation. Feasibility outcomes include targeting accuracy, protocol adherence, adverse event monitoring, and participant tolerability.

Aim 2 is to characterize the acute neural and behavioral effects of excitatory VIM-LIFU relative to a passive sham condition (reverse direction of transducer; no stimulation) using a within-subjects, double-blind crossover design. Primary outcome is the change in speech fluency (stuttered syllable percentage). Secondary outcomes are motor inhibition (stop-signal reaction time), and beat-based rhythm discrimination (d'). Exploratory neural outcomes include pre-to-post changes in resting-state thalamocortical functional connectivity and task-based (stop-signal fMRI) connectivity between VIM and speech motor regions (IFG, STN, pre-SMA). Exploratory analyses will also examine whether baseline thalamocortical connectivity predicts changes in functional connectivity and behavioral outcomes following stimulation.

The study is noninvasive and does not involve surgical procedures or implantation. Data collected will include neuroimaging, behavioral performance, and speech recordings. The results of this study will inform the feasibility and potential efficacy of noninvasive subcortical neuromodulation for PDS.

Typ studiów

Interwencyjne

Zapisy (Szacowany)

20

Faza

  • Nie dotyczy

Kontakty i lokalizacje

Ta sekcja zawiera dane kontaktowe osób prowadzących badanie oraz informacje o tym, gdzie badanie jest przeprowadzane.

Kontakt w sprawie studiów

  • Nazwa: Hasini Weerathunge, Ph.D.
  • Numer telefonu: 734-232-5748
  • E-mail: weerathh@umich.edu

Kopia zapasowa kontaktu do badania

Lokalizacje studiów

  • Stany Zjednoczone
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, Stany Zjednoczone, 48109
        • Rekrutacyjny
        • University of Michigan
        • Kontakt:
        • Główny śledczy:
          • Hasini Weerathunge,, Ph.D.

Kryteria uczestnictwa

Badacze szukają osób, które pasują do określonego opisu, zwanego kryteriami kwalifikacyjnymi. Niektóre przykłady tych kryteriów to ogólny stan zdrowia danej osoby lub wcześniejsze leczenie.

Kryteria kwalifikacji

Wiek uprawniający do nauki

  • Dorosły
  • Starszy dorosły

Akceptuje zdrowych ochotników

Nie

Opis

Inclusion Criteria:

  • have normal language, hearing and cognition
  • speak English as their primary language
  • currently stutter
  • score at least 10 (very mild) on the Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4) or exhibit greater than 3% stuttered syllables during at least one of the first 3 speech samples
  • have not receive any treatment for stuttering within the past year

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of seizures
  • Major medical or neurological illness (e.g., stroke, serious head trauma, brain infection, Parkinson's disease, etc.)
  • History of closed head injury with loss of consciousness (e.g., concussion)
  • Metal or electronic implants such as cochlear implants and pacemakers
  • Braids or other hair styling that prevents direct access to the scalp (if removal not possible)
  • Current or planned pregnancy
  • Any active, unstable, or inadequately treated psychiatric condition, including but not limited to psychosis, active major depressive episode, bipolar disorder with recent mood episode, or current suicidal ideation.
  • Current use of antipsychotic medications for treatment of a primary psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder; current use of mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium, valproate) or benzodiazepines. Low-dose adjunctive use of atypical antipsychotics (e.g., brexpiprazole, aripiprazole, quetiapine) for treatment-resistant depression or anxiety is not exclusionary if the participant's condition is stable per the existing ≥2-month stability criterion.
  • Any condition or medication that lowers seizure threshold, consistent with standard practice across non-invasive brain stimulation protocols.

Note: participants who cannot undergo MRI may complete the other portions of the study. For participants who cannot undergo MRI can be targeted for LIFU stimulation using a standard T1 scan. Resting state fMRI measures taken before and after stimulation will also be omitted for these cases. But the behavioral and speech measures can still be completed to provide pre and post-stimulation variations.

Plan studiów

Ta sekcja zawiera szczegółowe informacje na temat planu badania, w tym sposób zaprojektowania badania i jego pomiary.

Jak projektuje się badanie?

Szczegóły projektu

  • Główny cel: Leczenie
  • Przydział: Randomizowane
  • Model interwencyjny: Zadanie krzyżowe
  • Maskowanie: Potroić

Broń i interwencje

Grupa uczestników / Arm
Interwencja / Leczenie
Eksperymentalny: High DC LIFU then Sham
Urządzenie: High DC LIFU
Stimulation parameters and target location. Stimulation will be delivered using the BrainSonix BXPulsar 1002 System (BrainSonix Corporation, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA). Sonication Parameters will be as follows. Fundamental frequency: 650 kHz; pulse repetition frequency: 10Hz; pulse duration: 100ms; DC: 70% (yielding pulse width of 70 ms); sonication duration: 30 s; inter-sonication interval: 30s; LIFU-ON epochs per block: 12 epochs (Jang et al., 2025). During active stimulation a total of 4.2 min stimulation will be applied across all LIFU-ON epochs. Both active and sham stimulation sessions will last ~12 mins each. The researchers will be targeting ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) region of the thalamus for the active stimulation.
Urządzenie: Sham
Stimulation parameters and target location. Stimulation will be delivered using the BrainSonix BXPulsar 1002 System (BrainSonix Corporation, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA). Sonication Parameters will be as follows. Fundamental frequency: 650 kHz; pulse repetition frequency: 10Hz; pulse duration: 100ms; DC: 70% (yielding pulse width of 70 ms); sonication duration: 30 s; inter-sonication interval: 30s; LIFU-ON epochs per block: 12 epochs (Jang et al., 2025). During sham stimulation a total of 4.2 min stimulation will be applied across all LIFU-ON epochs. Both active and sham stimulation sessions will last ~12 mins each. The researchers will be reversing the direction of the transducer placed on the head such that no active stimulation will be applied to the participant's head. But the neuronavigation procedures (targeting VIM) and stimulation parameters will be kept identical such that the participant experiences the same procedure across active and sham conditions.
Pozorny komparator: Sham then High DC LIFU
Urządzenie: High DC LIFU
Stimulation parameters and target location. Stimulation will be delivered using the BrainSonix BXPulsar 1002 System (BrainSonix Corporation, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA). Sonication Parameters will be as follows. Fundamental frequency: 650 kHz; pulse repetition frequency: 10Hz; pulse duration: 100ms; DC: 70% (yielding pulse width of 70 ms); sonication duration: 30 s; inter-sonication interval: 30s; LIFU-ON epochs per block: 12 epochs (Jang et al., 2025). During active stimulation a total of 4.2 min stimulation will be applied across all LIFU-ON epochs. Both active and sham stimulation sessions will last ~12 mins each. The researchers will be targeting ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) region of the thalamus for the active stimulation.
Urządzenie: Sham
Stimulation parameters and target location. Stimulation will be delivered using the BrainSonix BXPulsar 1002 System (BrainSonix Corporation, Sherman Oaks, CA, USA). Sonication Parameters will be as follows. Fundamental frequency: 650 kHz; pulse repetition frequency: 10Hz; pulse duration: 100ms; DC: 70% (yielding pulse width of 70 ms); sonication duration: 30 s; inter-sonication interval: 30s; LIFU-ON epochs per block: 12 epochs (Jang et al., 2025). During sham stimulation a total of 4.2 min stimulation will be applied across all LIFU-ON epochs. Both active and sham stimulation sessions will last ~12 mins each. The researchers will be reversing the direction of the transducer placed on the head such that no active stimulation will be applied to the participant's head. But the neuronavigation procedures (targeting VIM) and stimulation parameters will be kept identical such that the participant experiences the same procedure across active and sham conditions.

Co mierzy badanie?

Podstawowe miary wyniku

Miara wyniku
Opis środka
Ramy czasowe
Percentage of stuttered syllables produced during speech sample
Ramy czasowe: Baseline, and immediately before and after LIFU stimulation during Stimulation Session 1 and Stimulation Session 2 (sessions occurring a minimum of 2 days apart and a maximum of 1 week apart), for a total of 5 assessments over an estimated 2-3 weeks.
The study will calculate the percentage of stuttered syllables (out of total syllables) in two speech samples (one before LIFU and one sample after LIFU) per each stimulation session. Decreased stuttered syllables represents better outcomes (greater reduction in stuttering). Two samples are collected during session 1 and two samples are collected during session 2. An additional baseline sample is collected at the baseline session (on a separate day before the two stimulation sessions).
Baseline, and immediately before and after LIFU stimulation during Stimulation Session 1 and Stimulation Session 2 (sessions occurring a minimum of 2 days apart and a maximum of 1 week apart), for a total of 5 assessments over an estimated 2-3 weeks.

Miary wyników drugorzędnych

Miara wyniku
Opis środka
Ramy czasowe
Stop signal response time (SSRT)
Ramy czasowe: Baseline, and immediately before and after LIFU stimulation during Stimulation Session 1 and Stimulation Session 2 (sessions occurring a minimum of 2 days apart and a maximum of 1 week apart), for a total of 5 assessments over an estimated 2-3 weeks.
The study will measure the Stop signal response time (SSRT) from the stop signal fMRI task (one before LIFU and one sample after LIFU) per each stimulation session. Two SSRT outcomes are collected during session 1 and two SSRT outcomes are collected during session 2. An additional baseline SSRT is collected at the baseline session (on a separate day before the two stimulation sessions). SSRT will be measured 5 times total.
Baseline, and immediately before and after LIFU stimulation during Stimulation Session 1 and Stimulation Session 2 (sessions occurring a minimum of 2 days apart and a maximum of 1 week apart), for a total of 5 assessments over an estimated 2-3 weeks.
Rhythm discrimination score (d')
Ramy czasowe: Baseline, and immediately before and after LIFU stimulation during Stimulation Session 1 and Stimulation Session 2 (sessions occurring a minimum of 2 days apart and a maximum of 1 week apart), for a total of 5 assessments over an estimated 2-3 weeks.
The study will compare the rhythm discrimination behavioral task from before and after LIFU during both session 1 and 2 for a total of 4 measurements. This is measured by the signal direction measures d' that will be calculated to quantify perceptual sensitivity (d'). Apart from the stimulation sessions, the baseline session will also collect this measure. Thus, assessed 5 times in total, considering the baseline session and stimulation sessions 1 and 2.
Baseline, and immediately before and after LIFU stimulation during Stimulation Session 1 and Stimulation Session 2 (sessions occurring a minimum of 2 days apart and a maximum of 1 week apart), for a total of 5 assessments over an estimated 2-3 weeks.

Współpracownicy i badacze

Tutaj znajdziesz osoby i organizacje zaangażowane w to badanie.

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Współpracownicy

Michigan Pioneer Fellowship

Śledczy

  • Główny śledczy: Hasini Weerathunge, Ph.D., University of Michigan
  • Główny śledczy: Soo-Eun Chang, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Daty zapisu na studia

Daty te śledzą postęp w przesyłaniu rekordów badań i podsumowań wyników do ClinicalTrials.gov. Zapisy badań i zgłoszone wyniki są przeglądane przez National Library of Medicine (NLM), aby upewnić się, że spełniają określone standardy kontroli jakości, zanim zostaną opublikowane na publicznej stronie internetowej.

Główne daty studiów

Rozpoczęcie studiów (Rzeczywisty)

19 sierpnia 2026

Zakończenie podstawowe (Szacowany)

1 sierpnia 2027

Ukończenie studiów (Szacowany)

1 sierpnia 2027

Daty rejestracji na studia

Pierwszy przesłany

11 czerwca 2026

Pierwszy przesłany, który spełnia kryteria kontroli jakości

19 czerwca 2026

Pierwszy wysłany (Rzeczywisty)

25 czerwca 2026

Aktualizacje rekordów badań

Ostatnia wysłana aktualizacja (Rzeczywisty)

15 września 2026

Ostatnia przesłana aktualizacja, która spełniała kryteria kontroli jakości

12 września 2026

Ostatnia weryfikacja

1 sierpnia 2026

Więcej informacji

Terminy związane z tym badaniem

Słowa kluczowe

Dodatkowe istotne warunki MeSH

Inne numery identyfikacyjne badania

  • HUM00274381

Plan dla danych uczestnika indywidualnego (IPD)

Planujesz udostępniać dane poszczególnych uczestników (IPD)?

NIE

Informacje o lekach i urządzeniach, dokumenty badawcze

Bada produkt leczniczy regulowany przez amerykańską FDA

Nie

Bada produkt urządzenia regulowany przez amerykańską FDA

Tak

produkt wyprodukowany i wyeksportowany z USA

Nie

Te informacje zostały pobrane bezpośrednio ze strony internetowej clinicaltrials.gov bez żadnych zmian. Jeśli chcesz zmienić, usunąć lub zaktualizować dane swojego badania, skontaktuj się z register@clinicaltrials.gov. Gdy tylko zmiana zostanie wprowadzona na stronie clinicaltrials.gov, zostanie ona automatycznie zaktualizowana również na naszej stronie internetowej .

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