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NCT Number: NCT06181149

Auditory Prediction and Error Evaluation in the Speech of Individuals Who Stutter

Stuttering negatively impacts communication and reduces the overall quality of life and well-being of individuals who stutter. This study will provide a strong foundation for developing neural and behavioral interventions for stuttering. Participants will be asked to name pictures, read words/sentences silently or aloud, and listen to speech and nonspeech sounds while their speech, muscle, and brain signals are collected. Some participants may also receive brain stimulation while reading and speaking.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Subjects Communication Disorders Language Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Speech Disorders Stuttering Stuttering, Developmental

Age range

3 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • being a monolingual, native speaker of American English
  • absence of developmental, psychological, neurological, or communication disorders (other than developmental stuttering) as confirmed by a certified research SLP
  • normal (age-appropriate) binaural pure-tone hearing threshold (0.5-4k Hz; ≤25 dB HL for younger than 70 years, and ≤35 dB HL for older than 70 years)
  • not taking any medications that affect the central nervous system
  • absence of safety contra-indication for tDCS, TMS and MRI (for adults)
  • scoring at the 20th percentile or higher on standardized speech-language tests (for children)

Exclusion criteria

-

Treatment and study plan

Delaying speech initiation

Behavioral

This intervention will examine the effects of misalignment between prediction and auditory feedback in participants. We will use transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce a temporal misalignment between prediction and auditory feedback while participants produce speech.

Auditory errors and pre-speech auditory modulation

Behavioral

This intervention will examine the contributions of auditory errors to pre-speech auditory modulation. Participants will receive auditory perturbations while speaking, and we will collect their brain activities throughout the study.

Contributions of the speech premotor cortex to pre-speech auditory modulation

Behavioral

This intervention will examine the effects of stimulation of the left ventral premotor cortex on pre-speech auditory modulation. Participants will receive electrical stimulation while speaking.

Delaying auditory feedback

Behavioral

This intervention will examine the effects of misalignment between prediction and auditory feedback in participants. We will use delayed auditory feedback to induce a temporal misalignment between prediction and auditory feedback while participants produce speech.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in brain activity before and during speaking

    Time frame: within each session of the study that may last up to 2 hours

    Participants will hear speech sounds in each trial before speaking or reading words. Participants' brain activity will be recorded while completing the speaking or reading tasks. The investigators will measure how the participant's brain activity in response to the played sounds changes during speaking and reading tasks. For this purpose, the investigators will measure the amplitude of the brain activity (in microvolts; µV) measured using a commercial electroencephalography system. The amplitude (µV) of the brain signals will be examined both before speaking and during speaking at two time points.

  2. change in speech when participants experience auditory errors

    Time frame: within each session of the study that may last up to 2 hours

    In each trial, participants will experience an auditory error while they produce speech (e.g., they may say "head" but hear "had"). The investigators will measure how the participants' speech changes due to auditory errors that they experience in the current trial. For this p[purpose, the investigators will use commercial microphones to record speech signals and then examine the amplitude of the speech in specific frequency ranges (measured in Hertz; Hz). The frequencies (Hz) of speech in trials with auditory errors will be compared with those without auditory errors.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ayoub Daliri, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

4807278397

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Arizona State University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
  • University of Washington

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Dec 26, 2023
Registry last updated
Aug 21, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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