Using Motor Imagery to Improve Speech After Stroke
Official title: Motor Imagery for Treatment Enhancement and Efficacy (MI-TEE) in Persons with Apraxia of Speech
Funded at University of Central Florida · NIH-11131290 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores a new computer-based home practice program to help people with speech difficulties after a stroke speak more clearly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Central Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orlando, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $190,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DC020548-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131290 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals experiencing apraxia of speech following a stroke who are seeking additional ways to improve their speech production.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose speech difficulties are not due to post-stroke apraxia of speech may not find this specific intervention beneficial.
What this research studies
Many people who have trouble speaking after a stroke, a condition called apraxia of speech, need a lot of practice with a speech therapist, which can be expensive and hard to access. We are developing a new computer program called MI-TEE that uses motor imagery, where you imagine performing movements, to supplement regular speech therapy. This program is designed for home use to give you more opportunities to practice and potentially improve your speech more effectively. We want to see if this home practice program is easy to use and helpful when combined with your usual speech therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could offer a cost-effective way for patients to practice speech at home, potentially leading to better and more lasting improvements in their ability to speak.
How similar studies have gone: While motor imagery has shown promise in other areas of rehabilitation, its specific application as a home-based adjunct for apraxia of speech is being explored in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Central Florida
Orlando, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bislick (Wilson), Lauren — University of Central Florida
- Study coordinator: Bislick (Wilson), Lauren
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Silent speech interface using a wearable tongue tracker to help people after laryngectomy communicate
A wearable system with tongue sensors and intraoral components aims to let people without a vocal cord use natural-sounding speech in daily life.
-
Overlap between how we speak and how we hold words in memory
A Duke-led project studies how the brain that talks relates to keeping verbal information in working memory, using advanced brain recordings from patients already undergoing medical care.
-
AI-powered system to improve teamwork in cardiac surgery
A research project is testing an AI-driven system that listens to team conversations during heart surgeries to spot teamwork patterns and give real-time feedback to improve patient safety.
-
Caregiver Speech and Infant Brain Development in Siblings of Children with Autism
This project follows babies who have an older sibling with autism to explore how caregiver talk and everyday interactions relate to early brain and behavior development.
-
How speech and swallowing work in people with Down syndrome
Researchers will look at how differences in the mouth, throat, and brain affect speech clarity and safe swallowing in children and adults with Down syndrome.
-
Information and social media use for autism info in young children
A research project looks at how speech-language pathologists and parents of young autistic children use social media for information and what makes that information trustworthy.
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.