How brain motor circuits control speech in people who stutter
Organization and development of motor cortical circuits for speech production in stuttering
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · NIH-11306079
This project looks at how the brain’s speech motor circuits differ in children and adults who stutter.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11306079 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will use brain imaging and detailed speech testing to map motor cortex areas involved in speaking in children and adults who stutter. They will focus on newly identified "inter-effector" areas between typical motor regions to see how those areas connect to parts of the brain for thinking, feeling, and sensing. The team will compare each person’s brain maps with their individual speech patterns to link brain differences with moments of disfluency. The goal is to build a clearer picture of where and how speech control breaks down in stuttering.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who stutter—including young children and adults—who can travel to the research site and complete MRI scans and speech testing are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without stuttering or whose speech difficulties are due to unrelated neurological injuries are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide more personalized therapies by pinpointing the brain circuits that contribute to stuttering.
How similar studies have performed: Prior imaging work has found motor-area differences in people who stutter, but applying this new inter-effector framework to link individual brain maps with speech behavior is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR — ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CHANG, SOO-EUN — UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- Study coordinator: CHANG, SOO-EUN
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 below.