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Investigating Speech Sequencing in Deep Brain Stimulator Recipients

This study is looking at how two brain areas, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus, help us learn and produce speech. You might be able to join if you have Parkinson's disease (PD) with a deep brain stimulator (DBS) in your STN, or essential tremor with a DBS in your VIM. Participants will practice reading aloud sequences of sounds. During some tasks, the DBS stimulation will be temporarily turned off and on. Researchers will measure how accurately you speak, how long it takes you to speak, and brain activity to see how these brain areas affect speech. The study aims to enroll 80 people.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 80 participants. It involves two groups: one with Parkinson's disease and STN DBS, and one with essential tremor and VIM DBS.
What's involved
You will read aloud sequences of sounds. For some tasks, your deep brain stimulator will be temporarily turned off and on. All primary measurements are taken on Day 1.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Speech sequencing accuracy, speech production duration, and beta power during speech production are measured on Day 1.

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

NCT07455760

Investigating Subcortical Contributions to Speech Sequencing in Deep Brain Stimulator Recipients

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalBasic science
Boston University Charles River Campus
~80 participants
Updated 2026-03-09 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Phoneme sequence learningCessation and re-enabling of stimulation of the STNCessation and re-enabling of stimulation of the VIM thalamic nucleusMultisyllabic sequence learning

At a glance

Recruiting sites
2 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in speech sequencing accuracy
Measured over Day 1
+2 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Essential Tremor

Explore related trials

Essential TremorParkinson Disease

Where it's being run

2 sites across 1 states
Massachusetts2

Study leadership

  • Frank H Guenther, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Boston University

Who to contact

Frank H Guenther, Ph.D.
[email protected]
617-353-5765
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Native speakers of American English
Adults at least 18 years of age
A clinically established diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or essential tremor
Able to provide informed consent in the judgment of the investigator
Treated with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (Parkinson's disease) or ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (essential tremor)
Stable Parkinson's disease or essential tremor medication regimen for at least one month
Stable DBS program settings for at least one month
Nominal DBS system function, including normal impedances at therapeutic DBS contacts, and adequate battery life or adequate IPG charging status for therapy
For DBS sensing, implanted with Medtronic Percept PC or Percept RC implantable pulse generator
Corrected vision adequate to easily read text presented during speech motor task

Exclusion

Cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; Nesreddine et al., 2005) score \< 25) or active psychotic or behavioral symptoms that would, in the judgment of the investigator, preclude proper participation in the study
Hearing impairment that interferes with accurate perception of the speech motor learning stimulus (25dB hearing level threshold at 500, 1k, 2k, and 4kHz frequencies)
Language impairment (aphasia) or speech articulation impairment (dysarthria) that precludes performance of the speech motor learning task
Neurological disorder that interferes with speech motor learning
Inability to tolerate symptoms when DBS is off
Orthodontia or atypical oral structure (e.g., cleft palate) that interferes with speech
Pregnancy
For participants in the sub-syllabic sequence learning study (Study C.2.1), experience with the following languages: Hebrew, Polish, Lithuanian, Romanian, Georgian, Tepehua, Hungarian, and Pima

What this trial measures

  • Change in speech sequencing accuracyDay 1

    Investigators will evaluate recordings of speech productions to identify errors. This will be used to compare sequence accuracy before and after practice of novel sequences with DBS in the ON and OFF states.

  • Speech production durationDay 1

    Investigators will inspect recordings of speech productions to identify production duration. This will be used to test hypotheses regarding differences in sequence duration before and after practice of novel sequences and with DBS in the ON and OFF states.

  • Beta power during speech productionDay 1

    Investigators will extract beta band (12-20 Hz) power from neural recordings taken while subjects practice and rehearse novel speech sequences. This will be used to test hypotheses regarding differences in beta power before and after practice of novel sequences and with DBS in the ON and OFF states.