Imaging Speech in Neurotypical Adults and Individuals With Cerebellar Stroke
High-resolution Functional Imaging of Speech-induced Sensory Modulation
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 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 Criteria: 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
About the study
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).
What is being tested
- Neural responses to speech functional localizer (behavioral)
- Neural responses to silent articulation (behavioral)
- Neural responses to self vs. externally generated speech (behavioral)
- Event-related potentials for speech (behavioral)
- Neural responses to induced speech errors (behavioral)
- Neural responses to sensory-motor adaptation (behavioral)
Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh · Participants: 100 · Started: May 27, 2025
Contact the study team
- Jason W Bohland, Ph.D. · Phone: 412-383-3416
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06458153
Locations in the U.S.
| Pennsylvania | University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.