Speech Production Tasks for Understanding Speech Disorders

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen byLingyun Zhao, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?Speech and communication disorders often result in aberrant control of the timing of speech production, such as making improper stops at places where they should not be. During normal speech, the ability to stop when necessary is important for maintaining turn-taking in a smooth conversation. Existing studies have largely investigated neural circuits that support the preparation and generation of speech sounds. It is believed that activity in the prefrontal and premotor cortical areas facilitates high-level speech control and activity in the ventral part of the sensorimotor cortex controls the articulator (e.g. lip, jaw, tongue) movements. However, little is known about the neural mechanism controlling a sudden and voluntary stop of speech. Traditional view attributes this to a disengagement of motor signals while recent evidence suggested there may be an inhibitory control mechanism. This gap in knowledge limits our understanding of disorders like stuttering and aphasia, where deficits in speech timing control are among the common symptoms. The overall goal of this study is to determine how the brain controls the stopping of ongoing speech production to deepen our understanding of speech and communication in normal and impaired conditions.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals with medication-resistant epilepsy at UCSF who are undergoing surgical electrode implantation to locate their seizure focus. They must be willing and able to cooperate with study tasks involving speech production.

Inclusion Criteria

I have implants for monitoring and can follow study instructions.

I have epilepsy that doesn't respond to medication and am getting surgery at UCSF to locate my seizure focus.

Exclusion Criteria

I am unable to make my own medical decisions.

I do not agree to give informed consent for the trial.

I am able to understand and complete study tasks despite any cognitive issues.

Participant Groups

The study aims to understand how the brain stops ongoing speech, which is crucial for smooth conversations and turn-taking. It will explore neural mechanisms in patients performing speech tasks during electrode monitoring.

1Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: Voice and Electrocorticography (ECoG) recording during Speech Production TasksExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants produce speech following visual cues on a computer while ECoG signals for neural activity and voice was recorded during their inpatient hospitalization at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).