The overall goal of this research is to test a new model of speech motor learning, whose central hypothesis is that learning and retention are associated with plasticity not only in motor areas of the brain but in auditory and somatosensory regions as well.
Aim 1 involves tests of speech motor memory retention following disruption of left hemisphere brain activity in either auditory, somatosensory or motor cortex or to a control site (hand area motor cortex right hemisphere). Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) is delivered following adaptation to altered auditory feedback to assess its effects on the retention of new learning. Aim 2 assesses the temporal order in which plasticity occurs in cortical motor and sensory brain areas during speech motor learning. In Aim 3, resting-state fMRI will be interleaved with speech motor adaptation. For information specific to each aim, please refer to the below corresponding, separate, clinicaltrials.gov records: unique IDs: 2000037622\_a for Aim 1, 2000037622\_b for Aim 2 and 2000037622\_c for Aim 3.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
330
cTBS stimulation will be applied to different areas of the brain following learning. Stimulation will take place following learning in order to block motor memory retention.
Auditory adaptation in speech
TMS will be delivered 10 times in each motor evoked potentials (MEP) recording block.
Yale Child Study Center
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
RECRUITINGSpeech motor learning
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.
Time frame: Performance as measured at the end of learning (30 minute session)
Retention of learning
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.
Time frame: 24 hours after learning (re-test lasts 30 minutes)
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To assess functional connectivity patterns between regions that predict learning.