Enhancing Letter-Speech Sound Learning With Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This trial tests if non-invasive brain stimulation can boost learning related to reading in adults with varied reading abilities. Participants receive transcranial random noise stimulation while performing an artificial orthography learning task, which mimics the process of linking letters with sounds. The study uses behavioral tests and functional MRI to examine learning outcomes and brain activity. The goal is to understand whether tRNS can support reading-related learning and its neural mechanisms, potentially informing future interventions for dyslexia. The research is conducted at a Swiss institution with a focus on translational insights for developmental dyslexia across ages.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18-35
* All genders
* Written informed consent by the participant
* German speaking (native)
* Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

* Diagnoses of neurological disorders, intellectual disabilities, or psychiatric disorders (We do not exclude participants with common comorbidities of dyslexia, specifically dyscalculia, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or Autism Spectrum Disorders)
* History of any acquired brain damage or evidence of fetal alcohol syndrome
* Hearing problems and vision problems that cannot be corrected
* Inability to follow procedures or understand the instructions given in (Swiss-)German
* Current use of psychoactive medications or substances, or a history of substance abuse that may affect brain function, performance or MRI signal quality
* A nonverbal IQ \< 80
* Having previously participated in a transcranial electrical stimulation study
* Knowledge to read or write in a language using foreign letters (i.e., different from the Latin alphabet)
* Contraindications to brain stimulation or MRI, such as: History of epilepsy or severe migraine; Skull breach such as craniotomy; Wearing neurostimulators or cardiac pacemakers; Wearing hearing aid devices or cochlear implants, which are not MR safe; Having metal pieces in their body (e.g., piercings that cannot be removed and contain metal, screws or plates from surgical operations, wounds from metal splinters or similar); Claustrophobia or problems lying in the scanner (e.g., pain, anxiety); Previous surgery on the head or heart; Being pregnant (a pregnancy test will be conducted at the MR center before the measurement if a female participant suspects she might be pregnant or is uncertain about her pregnancy status according to the Swiss Ethics Leitlinie:

https://swissethics.ch/assets/pos\_papiere\_leitfaden/20110906\_kek\_mri.pdf); Having problems lying still (strong cold, tremor, etc.); Wearing non-removable dental braces

Where it's running

• University Hospital of Psychiatry
  Zurich, Switzerland Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Silvia Brem, Prof. Dr.
• Email: silvia.brem@kjpd.uzh.ch
• Phone: +41 (0)58 384 67 11

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Visual-attentional training to help Chinese reading in kids with dyslexia

  This study tests whether training a fast visual-attentional skill with video game exercises can help children with dyslexia read Chinese better.

  Recruiting The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · Hong Kong · NCT07707700

• Testing how people control their speech in different feedback situations

  This study tests how adults with and without speech or reading differences use auditory and somatosensory feedback to control their speech.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Boston University Charles River Campus · Boston, Massachusetts and 1 other locations · NCT07459803

• Combined training to improve thinking skills and emotional control for children with ADHD, dyslexia, or autism

  This program will test whether a combined training that targets both 'cool' thinking skills (like working memory) and 'hot' emotion-related control can help primary-school children aged 6–11 with ADHD, dyslexia (SpLD), or autism.

  Recruiting Education University of Hong Kong · Tai Po · NCT07262853

• Digital neuropsychological rehabilitation program for learning difficulties

  This study is testing a digital program to see if it can help teenagers with learning difficulties, like dyslexia, feel better about themselves and improve their learning skills.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Helsinki University Central Hospital · Helsinki and 1 other locations · NCT06713863

• Effects of brain stimulation on reading and language skills

  This study is testing how different types of brain stimulation can improve reading and language skills in people.

  Recruiting Georgia State University · Atlanta, Georgia · NCT06608680

• Training to improve reading skills in children with dyslexia

  This study tests if rhythmic sound training can help improve reading skills in children aged 7 to 9 with dyslexia.

  Recruiting Institut Pasteur · Paris · NCT05996497

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.