Adaptive brain-computer feedback therapy for voice spasms
Official title: Adaptive closed-loop brain-computer interface therapeutic intervention in laryngeal dystonia
Funded at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · NIH-11159412 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial uses a brain‑computer interface to give people with laryngeal dystonia real‑time brain feedback to help reduce involuntary voice spasms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $361,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC019353-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159412 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with laryngeal dystonia who experience involuntary voice spasms and can attend repeated in‑person sessions at a Boston clinic are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without laryngeal dystonia, whose voice problems have other causes, or who cannot undergo brain recordings or repeated clinic visits are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
You would come to Mass Eye and Ear for a series of visits where clinicians record brain activity while you speak and provide real‑time feedback through an adaptive closed‑loop system. Participants are randomly assigned, in a double‑blind setup, to receive either active neurofeedback or a sham control without knowing which one they get. The goal of the training is to teach you to change specific brain activity patterns linked to your voice spasms, with sessions repeated over weeks. The team will track voice symptoms, brain signals, and safety throughout the phase 1 trial to see if the approach is feasible and safe.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lessen voice spasms, improve speech and quality of life, and reduce reliance on repeated botulinum toxin injections.
How similar studies have gone: Neurofeedback and BCI methods have shown promise in other movement and speech disorders, but applying an adaptive closed‑loop BCI specifically to laryngeal dystonia is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simonyan, Kristina — Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Study coordinator: Simonyan, Kristina
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.