Prosody and Speech: How Prosody and Speaking Sounds Come Together in the Brain
Official title: Sequencing and Initiation in Speech Production
Funded at Boston University (Charles River Campus) · NIH-11449873 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project asks how the brain plans and coordinates the rhythm and tone of speech, especially in people who stutter, using brain scans and speech experiments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University (Charles River Campus) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2006 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $690,517 |
| NIH project number | 2R01DC007683-21 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449873 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who stutter and adults without stuttering, ages 21 and older, willing to participate in speaking tasks and MRI sessions.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who cannot undergo MRI scanning or who have no interest in speech tasks would not benefit.
What this research studies
If you speak, your brain combines the melody of speech (intonation and rhythm) with the sounds of words. The study tests how this blending happens in healthy adults versus adults who stutter, using fMRI, detailed speech recordings, and computer models. Participants will repeat simple sentences and then change the prosodic parts before repeating, allowing researchers to see how prosody and segments interact. The team compares two prosody aspects (metrical and intonational) and looks at how these interact with word content. This could explain why some people stutter and guide new approaches to help them speak more smoothly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these brain mechanisms could lead to better therapies for stuttering and more natural-sounding speech therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Past work supports that prosody and speech planning involve specific brain networks, though the exact interactions in stuttering are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University (Charles River Campus)
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guenther, Frank H — Boston University (Charles River Campus)
- Study coordinator: Guenther, Frank H
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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.