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HealthyNCT00006076

Genetic Studies of Tone Deafness

An observational study of Healthy and Tone Deafness, run by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study will examine the hereditary basis of tone deafness by identifying regions of the human genome linked to this condition. Both exceptionally good pitch recognition (perfect pitch) and exceptionally poor pitch recognition (tone deafness) run in families. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 15 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Healthy, Tone Deafness
How many people
968 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
26 Jul 2000to 29 Jun 2010
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 15 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Individuals over the age of 15.
  • This study includes both males and females, and includes members of all racial and ethnic groups. This study includes both normal and tune deaf individuals, as well as individuals that may have intermediate scores on the Distorted Tunes Test, indicating a status between completely tune deaf and normal.

Who cannot join

  • Hearing impaired individuals, as first estimated by a score of 25 or greater on the American Academy of Otolaryngology's 5 Minute Hearing Test, or subsequently by audiological exam.
  • Cognitively impaired individuals.
  • Family members in families where only one person exhibits tune deafness.
  • Individuals currently using psychoactive medication.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Genetic Studies of Tune Deafness

This study will examine the hereditary basis of tone deafness by identifying regions of the human genome linked to this condition. Both exceptionally good pitch recognition (perfect pitch) and exceptionally poor pitch recognition (tone deafness) run in families. A better understanding of what causes tone deafness may provide new insights into auditory (hearing) function.

Individuals with two or more family members 15 years of age or older who are tone deaf or have trouble recognizing different melodies may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a short listening test for pitch and a short written test. Those identified with poor pitch recognition will fill out a brief questionnaire about their family tree and family members (without identifying names) who have trouble recognizing melodies or tones. Individuals with poor pitch recognition will be asked to help contact family members who may be interested in participating.

Members of families with two or more first-degree relatives (parents, grandparents, siblings) who are tone deaf may enroll in the study. They will provide a blood sample (about 2 tablespoons) for genetic studies and may take a 20-minute hearing test using headphones.

Read the detailed description

The primary goal of this study is to identify regions of the genome which show genetic linkage to deficits in pitch recognition. Pitch recognition in subjects will be tested to identify individuals and families with poor pitch recognition, known as tune deafness, defined as the inability to recognize wrong notes in a popular melody. We will undertake a 2-stage process, first a screening to identify probands, and secondly a full family ascertainment and enrollment. Probands and family members will be given an auditory and verbal attention test, and additions listening tests to measure aspects of center auditory processing and attention. Family phenotypic data will be used for additional epidemiological studies of tune deafness. Affected and unaffected members of families containing multiple tune deaf individuals will have 20 cc of blood drawn to obtain DNA. These DNA samples will then be genotyped using markers distributed across the human genome, and the genotypic information analyzed to determine which markers show linkage to tune deafness. Genetic linkage is the initial step in the process of positional cloning, and cloning the defective genes which underlie tune deafness is a long term goal of this research.

Keywords
Hearing, Auditory Processing, Pitch Recognition, Tone Deafness, Tune Deafness, HV, Deafness, Congenital Amusia, Healthy Volunteer
Medical subject headings
Tune Deafness, Deafness

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted31 Jul 2000 (estimated)
  2. Study start26 Jul 2000
  3. Study completion29 Jun 2010

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Enrolment
968 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00006076
Sponsor's protocol ID
000176
Other IDs
00-DC-0176
Status last verified
29 Jun 2010
First submitted
28 Jul 2000
Last updated
2 Jul 2017
Results posted
No

Publications

  • Profita J, Bidder TG. Perfect pitch. Am J Med Genet. 1988 Apr;29(4):763-71. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.1320290405.

    PubMed 3400722
  • Wightman FL, Green DM. The perception of pitch. Am Sci. 1974 Mar-Apr;62(2):208-15. No abstract available.

    PubMed 4815736
  • Baharloo S, Johnston PA, Service SK, Gitschier J, Freimer NB. Absolute pitch: an approach for identification of genetic and nongenetic components. Am J Hum Genet. 1998 Feb;62(2):224-31. doi: 10.1086/301704.

    PubMed 9463312

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Healthy and Tone Deafness, run by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Jul 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00006076, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Jul 2017.

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