The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if repeated transcranial magnetic stimuli (rTMS) can treat stuttering in adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Will there be changes in the brains of people who stutter because of the treatment? * Will any changes in the brain result in less stuttering? Participants will: * Visit the lab 3 times before treatment for tests * Complete 10 rTMS sessions * Visit the lab 2 times after treatment for tests
Measures must be obtained to in preparation for TMS treatment. Structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) recordings will be obtained from the participant, and they will undergo a neuronavigational session to determine best placement for the electrodes. MRI/rsfMRI recordings: The structural MRIs will be obtained and used for TMS neuronavigation. Resting-state functional MRI will be recorded for 8 min with the eyes open. rTMS will be delivered at 10 Hz for 10 min with a stimulation intensity of 120% of the resting motor threshold (rMT). Neuronavigation: The TMS coil will be navigated with a neuronavigation system using the individual MRIs. rTMS targets: rTMS will be delivered to the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). We will use the neuronavigation system to identify the IFG. Three pre-treatment and 2 post-treatment sessions will each obtain data from the following measurements: * rs-EEG: rs-EEG responses will be recorded with eyes open for 5 minutes using a 64-channel EEG system. * Eye tracker: eye gaze fixations, dwell time, saccades, and gaze durations will be recorded while the participant completes several behavioral phonological memory tasks. * Spontaneous speech sample will be obtained to determine percent syllables stuttered.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
2
This study uses Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) applied to specific speech and motor areas of the brain to stimulate cortical areas that experience reduced activations during left-hemisphere dominant tasks in people who stutter.
Bluemont Hall, Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas, United States
RECRUITINGChanges in functional connectivity with resting-state electroencephalography (rs-EEG)
A seed-based functional connectivity analysis will be carried out between the two stimulated brain areas. To assess the changes in effective connectivity, the investigators will compare the seed-based connectivity values across sessions.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-treatment, and one week after post-treatment.
Changes in behavioral measures of stuttering and phonological processing.
To assess functional changes as a result of rTMS treatment, comparison of eye tracking measurements of duration, dwell time, and number of fixations of eye movements while completing speech and language-based tasks are compared across sessions.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-treatment, and one week after post-treatment.
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