Deep brain stimulation to help speech after stroke
Official title: Deep brain stimulation of the motor thalamus to improve orofacial motor and speech production deficits after stroke
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11114663 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small study will test whether stimulating a brain region called the motor thalamus can help people who have trouble speaking after a stroke to speak more clearly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $312,858 |
| NIH project number | 1UG3NS139235-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11114663 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21+ with chronic post-stroke dysarthria who meet study criteria and are receiving speech therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without post-stroke dysarthria or those not eligible for brain stimulation procedures may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a new approach for people with chronic post-stroke dysarthria by delivering targeted electrical pulses to the motor thalamus while patients practice speech. The team will assess safety, feasibility, and early signals of benefit, while coordinating with speech therapy to maximize potential gains. If the approach is safe and shows early promise, it could become a new option to improve speech intelligibility for adults who have difficulty speaking after stroke.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants could experience clearer speech and better communication, along with potential improvements in quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests brain stimulation can modulate motor circuits, but this specific approach to improve speech after stroke is being tested for safety and early efficacy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gonzalez-Martinez, Jorge Alvaro — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Gonzalez-Martinez, Jorge Alvaro
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Restoring speech with a brain implant for stroke-related aphasia
A study at UC Davis aims to help people who have language trouble after a stroke by using a tiny brain implant to turn brain signals into spoken words.
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Calcium imaging guides deep brain stimulation to boost chronic stroke recovery in a rat model
A research team is testing how customizing deep brain stimulation parameters in rats with stroke can improve long-term motor recovery, with the goal of guiding future patient treatments.
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Deep brain stimulation in the motor thalamus to help muscle control after stroke
This research uses targeted deep brain stimulation in the motor thalamus to strengthen brain-to-muscle signals for people with lasting weakness after stroke.
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Improving Deep Brain Stimulation for Stroke Recovery
This project aims to find better ways to use deep brain stimulation to help people recover movement after a stroke.
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Using deep brain stimulation to enhance muscle control after a stroke
This study is exploring how deep brain stimulation can help stroke survivors regain better muscle control by targeting specific areas in the brain, with the hope of offering a new treatment option alongside regular therapy.
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Understanding how brain stimulation can improve recovery after stroke
This study is looking at how to make deep brain stimulation (DBS) work better for people recovering from strokes by testing it on rats, so we can find out why some people improve more than others and create personalized treatments for future patients.
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.