Imaging Speech in Neurotypical Adults and Individuals With Cerebellar Stroke
High-resolution Functional Imaging of Speech-induced Sensory Modulation
University of Pittsburgh
100 participants
May 27, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this research study is to learn how the brain areas that plan and control movement interact with the areas responsible for hearing and perceiving speech in healthy adults and people who have had cerebellar strokes. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What regions of the brain's sensory systems show changes in their activity related to speech? 2. To what extent do these regions help listeners detect and correct speech errors? 3. What is the role of the cerebellum (a part of the brain in the back of the head) in these activities? Participants will be asked to complete several experimental sessions involving behavioral speech and related tests and non-invasive brain imaging using electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria13
- Cohort 1 (neurotypical adults):
- Age 18-49
- Right-handed
- Native English speaker
- Cohort 2 (people with cerebellar lesions):
- Age 18 or older
- Right-handed
- Native English speaker
- History of cerebellar stroke
- Cohort 3 (controls matched to Cohort 2)
- Age 18 or older
- Right-handed
- Native English speaker
Exclusion Criteria32
- Cohort 1 (neurotypical adults):
- Presence of MRI risk factors: metal and/or electromagnetic devices (e.g., pacemakers, neurostimulators) in the body, previous shrapnel injuries, use of an intrauterine device containing metal, claustrophobia, pregnant or possibly pregnant
- History of neurological / neurodegenerative disease or severe brain injury (e.g., stroke or severe traumatic brain injury)
- Hearing loss, defined by pure tone thresholds \>25 decibels (dB) hearing level (HL) at octave frequencies between 250-8000 Hz
- Clinical diagnosis and/or treatment for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders
- Clinical diagnosis and/or treatment for neurocognitive disorders (e.g., dementia, delirium)
- Presence of a severe and unmanaged, clinically diagnosed attention disorder
- Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a speech, language, or hearing disorder
- Head circumference greater than 60cm or weight greater than 300 pounds
- History of severe claustrophobia
- Currently pregnant
- Cohort 2 (people with cerebellar lesions):
- Presence of MRI risk factors: metal and/or electromagnetic devices (e.g., pacemakers, neurostimulators) in the body, previous shrapnel injuries, use of an intrauterine device containing metal, claustrophobia, pregnant or possibly pregnant
- History of neurological / neurodegenerative disease or severe brain injury other than stroke
- Hearing loss, defined by pure tone thresholds \>50 dB HL at octave frequencies between 250-4000 Hz
- Clinical diagnosis and/or treatment for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders
- Clinical diagnosis and/or treatment for neurocognitive disorders (e.g., dementia, delirium)
- Presence of a severe and unmanaged, clinically diagnosed attention disorder
- Head circumference greater than 60cm or weight greater than 300 pounds
- History of severe claustrophobia
- Currently pregnant
- Cohort 3 (controls matched to Cohort 2):
- Presence of MRI risk factors: metal and/or electromagnetic devices (e.g., pacemakers, neurostimulators) in the body, previous shrapnel injuries, use of an intrauterine device containing metal, claustrophobia, pregnant or possibly pregnant
- History of neurological / neurodegenerative disease or severe brain injury (e.g., stroke or severe traumatic brain injury)
- Hearing loss, defined by pure tone thresholds \>50 dB HL at octave frequencies between 250-4000 Hz
- Clinical diagnosis and/or treatment for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders
- Clinical diagnosis and/or treatment for neurocognitive disorders (e.g., dementia, delirium)
- Presence of a severe and unmanaged, clinically diagnosed attention disorder
- Clinically diagnosed with or treated for a speech, language, or hearing disorder
- Head circumference greater than 60cm or weight greater than 300 pounds
- History of severe claustrophobia
- Currently pregnant
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Interventions
Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during a speech listening task.
Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during a silent articulation task.
Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during self-generated vs. externally-generated speech.
Measuring electroencephalography (EEG) based evoked potentials for self vs. externally generated speech
Measuring speech-related brain activity using fMRI during conditions that induce auditory speech errors.
Measuring brain activity using fMRI during a learning task with sustained altered auditory feedback.
Behavioral measurements of speech during reading passages and words
Measurements of auditory acuity during listening tasks.
Mapping of brain areas using fMRI during learning of non-speech sound-evoking movements.
Locations(1)
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NCT06458153