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Speech Motor Learning and Retention Study

This study is looking at how the brain learns and remembers new speech movements. Researchers will use behavioral interventions like "Auditory adaptation in speech" and "Auditory baseline in speech" to understand how your brain adapts. They will also use devices to measure brain activity, including "Motor evoked potentials," "Auditory evoked potentials," and "Somatosensory evoked potentials." The goal is to see if learning and remembering speech are linked to changes in motor, auditory, and touch-related parts of the brain. Success will be measured by how well you learn speech movements at the end of a 30-minute session, and how well you remember them 24 hours later. This study is currently recruiting 120 participants aged 18 to 40 who are right-handed, fluent English speakers with normal hearing and no speech disorders.

Study design
This is an interventional study with 120 planned participants. It is not specified if it is randomized or blinded.
What's involved
You will participate in sessions lasting 30 minutes for learning, and a re-test session lasting 30 minutes 24 hours later. These sessions will involve speech motor adaptation and measurements of brain activity.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your learning will be assessed at the end of a 30-minute session, and your retention will be assessed 24 hours after learning.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06491823

Speech Motor Learning and Retention (Aim 2)

Recruiting
NAAges 18–40InterventionalBasic science
Yale University
~120 participants
Updated 2026-02-19 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:AdaptationAdaptation baselineMotor evoked potentialsAuditory evoked potentialsSomatosensory evoked potentials

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Speech motor learning
Measured over Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)
+4 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Speech

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Healthy Volunteers

NCT06491823

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Yale Child Study Center

    New Haven, Connecticutno site contact published

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • David Ostry · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Yale University

Who to contact

David Ostry
[email protected]
2038656163
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Fluent English speakers
Right-handed
Normal hearing
No speech disorder or reading disability

Exclusion

Cardiac pacemaker
Aneurysm clip
Heart or Vascular clip
Prosthetic valve
Metal implants
Metal in brain, skull, or spinal cord
Implanted neurostimulator
Medication infusion device
Cochlear implant or tinnitus (ringing in ears)
Personal and/or family history of epilepsy or other neurological disorders or history of head concussion
Psychoactive medications
Pregnancy

What this trial measures

  • Speech motor learningPerformance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

    Audapter software will be used to alter the first and second formant frequencies of the spoken words and this is played back to subjects through headphones. Subjects will be tested both with unaltered feedback and with abruptly introduced frequency shifts.The change in the first (F1) and second format frequency (F2) values will be assessed using Praat.

  • Retention of learning24 hours after learning (re-test lasts 30 minutes)

    The retention of adaptation to altered auditory feedback (and relearning) will be quantified in terms of F1 and F2 frequency shifts (relative to pre-training baseline). Larger values indicate more complete relearning or retention.

  • Motor evoked potentials (MEPs)Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

    Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) using single-pulse TMS will be recorded using surface electromyography (EMG) to measure MEP peak-to-peak response

  • Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs)Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

    Electrical stimulation will be used to elicit somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). SEPs will be recorded using electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the SEP response in the interval 20 to 25 ms following stimulation (N20-P25 response).

  • Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs)Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)

    Acoustical stimulation will be used to elicit auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). AEPs will be recorded using electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the AEP response in the interval between the first positive peak and first negative peak following stimulation (P1-N1 response).