Understanding how the brain stops speaking mid-sentence in autism-related speech
Official title: Neural mechanisms for stopping ongoing speech production
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11393176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how the brain rapidly halts ongoing speech, which could help people with autism spectrum disorders who struggle with communication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00DC020235-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with autistic disorder or related speech and communication challenges who experience atypical control of speech timing.
✕Less likely to help
People without speech timing difficulties or autism-related speech issues may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study brain activity to find the neural signals that quickly stop speech during conversations, focusing on how premotor and sensorimotor areas interact with the voice articulators. The study uses neurophysiological measures to identify where and how stopping cues are processed in real time. By mapping these neural pathways, scientists aim to uncover mechanisms that could inform therapies for speech and language difficulties seen in autism and related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to better understanding and eventual therapies for speech timing disorders in autism.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has mapped speech production networks, but this project investigates the specific stopping mechanism, which is less explored and could be groundbreaking.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Lingyun — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Lingyun
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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.