How the brain makes quick tongue corrections to help swallowing and speech
Neural Mechanisms of miss- and touch-guided sensorimotor corrections
Learning how brains produce very fast tongue adjustments in mice to help people with swallowing and speech problems from Parkinson’s and ALS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162487 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use high-speed video and deep-learning image analysis to measure tiny, millisecond tongue movements in mice. They create tasks where a water spout moves unexpectedly so the mouse must quickly correct its lick, mimicking how humans correct reaches or grasps. While mice perform these tasks, the team records brain activity across many regions and uses targeted manipulations to find the neural signals that trigger corrections. The goal is to map the circuits that control tongue coordination and link those circuits to swallowing and speech problems seen in Parkinson’s and ALS.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Parkinson’s disease or ALS who have tongue discoordination, swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), or speech problems would be most relevant to findings from this work.
Not a fit: People without tongue or swallowing problems or those whose dysphagia has a purely structural or non-neurological cause are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain targets and measurable movement signs that lead to better ways to prevent choking and improve swallowing and speech in people with Parkinson’s and ALS.
How similar studies have performed: Related 'target-jump' experiments with primate limbs have successfully revealed how brains correct reaches, but applying these approaches to tongue control is largely new.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goldberg, Jesse Heymann — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Goldberg, Jesse Heymann
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.