Investigating speech development in children with spinal muscular atrophy after new therapies
Official title: Speech development in spinal muscular atrophy after disease-modifying therapies
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11242987 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how new treatments for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can help improve speech and communication skills in children and young adults aged 2 to 21, by comparing their speech abilities to what’s expected for their age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $37,973 |
| NIH project number | 1F31DC023123-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11242987 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 2 to 21 years diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy who have received disease-modifying therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have spinal muscular atrophy or those who have not received disease-modifying therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how new disease-modifying therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) affect speech, language, and cognitive development in children aged 2 to 21 years. By collecting behavioral speech data from participants who have received these therapies, the study aims to quantify their speech motor abilities and compare them to typical developmental expectations. The research will involve assessments of speech intelligibility, articulation rates, and other relevant speech metrics. This will help identify the potential improvements in communication skills resulting from these therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide valuable insights into how new therapies improve communication abilities in children with spinal muscular atrophy.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been significant progress in understanding the physical impacts of disease-modifying therapies for SMA, the specific focus on speech and cognitive development is relatively novel and has not been extensively studied.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jensen, Sydney Annmarie — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Jensen, Sydney Annmarie
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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.