Overlap between speaking and holding words in memory
Official title: The overlap of speech production and verbal working memory
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11365837 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Duke University study will look at how our brain keeps and uses spoken information in short-term memory to help us talk smoothly in real life, especially in noisy or changing conversations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $425,862 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS129703-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365837 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults undergoing neurosurgical procedures with brain implants at Duke who can participate in research tasks.
✕Less likely to help
People without implant access or who cannot tolerate research tasks may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project studies how speech planning and verbal working memory share brain resources. Researchers will analyze brain signals from patients who already have electrodes implanted for clinical reasons, to see how much speech production and verbal working memory use the same brain areas and information types. The study uses tasks that trigger both talking and short-term memory to map shared neural features and motor aspects. Results could clarify how conversations are managed in practical settings and improve our understanding of speech disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding the link between speaking and memory could lead to better strategies for diagnosing and treating speech and language problems.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests overlapping brain areas for speech planning and memory, but this project aims to map this overlap at higher resolution in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cogan, Gregory B — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Cogan, Gregory B
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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.