Noninvasive Thalamocortical Stimulation for Stuttering

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 is a small, sham-controlled study to see if low-intensity focused ultrasound can safely modulate brain activity related to speech. Researchers will use MRI to locate the left ventral intermediate thalamus and deliver stimulation while participants perform speech and reading tasks. The study includes baseline assessments, MRI and fMRI, neuronavigation-guided stimulation, and both active and sham sessions to measure feasibility, safety, and potential effects on fluency. Participants will be adults with persistent developmental stuttering, with careful screening for language, hearing, and cognitive function. Outcomes focus on safety, targeting precision, and changes in speech-related brain connectivity and performance.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* have normal language, hearing and cognition
* speak English as their primary language
* currently stutter
* score at least 10 (very mild) on the Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4) or exhibit greater than 3% stuttered syllables during at least one of the first 3 speech samples
* have not receive any treatment for stuttering within the past year

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of seizures
* Major medical or neurological illness (e.g., stroke, serious head trauma, brain infection, Parkinson's disease, etc.)
* History of closed head injury with loss of consciousness (e.g., concussion)
* Metal or electronic implants such as cochlear implants and pacemakers
* Braids or other hair styling that prevents direct access to the scalp (if removal not possible)
* Current or planned pregnancy
* Any active, unstable, or inadequately treated psychiatric condition, including but not limited to psychosis, active major depressive episode, bipolar disorder with recent mood episode, or current suicidal ideation.
* Current use of antipsychotic medications for treatment of a primary psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder; current use of mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium, valproate) or benzodiazepines. Low-dose adjunctive use of atypical antipsychotics (e.g., brexpiprazole, aripiprazole, quetiapine) for treatment-resistant depression or anxiety is not exclusionary if the participant's condition is stable per the existing ≥2-month stability criterion.
* Any condition or medication that lowers seizure threshold, consistent with standard practice across non-invasive brain stimulation protocols.

Note: participants who cannot undergo MRI may complete the other portions of the study. For participants who cannot undergo MRI can be targeted for LIFU stimulation using a standard T1 scan. Resting state fMRI measures taken before and after stimulation will also be omitted for these cases. But the behavioral and speech measures can still be completed to provide pre and post-stimulation variations.

Where it's running

• University of Michigan
  Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Hasini Weerathunge, Ph.D. — University of Michigan
• Study coordinator: Hasini Weerathunge, Ph.D.
• Email: weerathh@umich.edu
• Phone: 734-232-5748

Similar studies

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

• Desensitization-Based Program to Help Adults Who Stutter Improve Job Interview Skills

  This program tests a 10-week desensitization-based therapy to help young adults who stutter feel more confident and fluent during job interviews.

  Recruiting Izmir Bakircay University · Ataşehir, Istanbul · NCT07764419

• Noninvasive brain stimulation to reduce stuttering in adults

  This project will try high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to see if it reduces repetitions, blocks, and prolongations in English-dominant adults who stutter.

  Recruiting The University of Texas at Dallas · Richardson, Texas · NCT07354139

• Effects of psilocybin on speech for adults who stutter

  This phase 2a study tests whether psilocybin, with speech therapy, is safe and may help improve speech fluency in adults who stutter.

  Recruiting Phase 2 NYU Langone Health · New York, New York · NCT07296328

• Reducing stuttering with mild brain stimulation plus speech therapy

  We will test whether mild electrical brain stimulation (tDCS) combined with speech therapy can reduce stuttering severity in adults who stutter.

  Recruiting NYU Langone Health · New York, New York · NCT07222163

• Motor brain circuits for speech production in adults who stutter

  We will use MRI while adults who stutter speak to test how motor brain areas and their connections work during continuous speech.

  Recruiting University of Michigan · Ann Arbor, Michigan · NCT07180628

• Understanding why some children outgrow stuttering while others do not

  This study looks at why some kids aged 3-6 outgrow stuttering while others don’t by testing their speech and language skills through fun activities over several years.

  Recruiting Michigan State University · East Lansing, Michigan · NCT06578416

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.