Lexical ToneNCT04135105
Lexical Tone Perception in Tone language--a fMRI Study
An observational study of Lexical Tone and Neuroimaging, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
Tone language refers to a language that uses fixed pitch pattern to distinguish words (Yip, 2002). Understanding the functional anatomy of the brain during lexical tone processing will provide useful hints for an effective intervention strategy such as brain stimulation. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Lexical Tone, Neuroimaging, Chinese
- What is being tested?
- Normal hearing group
- How many people
- 29 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 12 Feb 2017to 30 Sep 2019
- 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 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Study population: Recruitment via University mass mail They were paid for their participations.
Who may be able to join
- native Cantonese speaker
- right-handed
- normal hearing
- no reported of neurological disorder
Who cannot join
- neurological disorder
- left-handed
- hearing impairment
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Lexical Tone Perception in Tone Language speakers--a fMRI Study
Tone language refers to a language that uses fixed pitch pattern to distinguish words (Yip, 2002). Understanding the functional anatomy of the brain during lexical tone processing will provide useful hints for an effective intervention strategy such as brain stimulation. The present study investigate the cortical organisation of the brain in lexical tone perception of Cantonese speakers by the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Read the detailed description
Tone language refers to a language that uses fixed pitch pattern to distinguish words (Yip, 2002). Cantonese is one of the main tone languages spoken by over 70 million around the world (Li et al.,1995; Adolfsson, 2010). Individuals with significant hearing impairment often present great difficulty in tone perception, affecting their understanding of words and hence, hamper their overall communication. The poor tone perception persists even with intensive auditory training coupled with advanced hearing technology such as cochlear implants.
Understanding the functional anatomy of the brain during lexical tone processing will provide useful hints for an effective intervention strategy such as brain stimulation. Researchers have been investigating the neural basis for tone perception in the past decades but failing to come to a consensus on the location of the brain that is responsible for lexical tone processing. The discrepant results may be due to the fact of the differences in subject selection (animals, healthy adults, brain-injured patients, tonal-language and non-tonal language speakers), testing materials and tasks employed (linguistic versus non-linguistic stimuli; dichotic listening versus discrimination and identification tasks) and outcome measurements (performance score, reaction time, accuracy rate, PET scan and fMRI).
Cortical organization, or brain mapping, refers to functional anatomy of the brain. The present study is the first study to systematically investigate the cortical organization of the brain in lexical tone perception of Cantonese speakers by the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A comprehensive set of auditory stimuli specifically for investigating the different levels of lexical tone processing will be constructed. Native Cantonese speakers with normal hearing were recruited. They underwent fMRI while listening to the carefully designed auditory stimuli.
Once the cortical organization of lexical tone processing in Cantonese is identified, the valuable findings could be applied in further brain intervention procedures to tackle the long lasting, unresolved tone perception difficulty encountered by people with hearing impairment or other related disorders.
- Conditions
- Lexical Tone, Neuroimaging, Chinese, Speech Perception
- Being tested
- Normal hearing group
- Keywords
- Speech Perception, Neuroimaging, Lexical Tone, Chinese
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Normal hearing groupOther
Observational
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Normal hearing group | Right-handed, normal hearing, no reported neurological disorders Receives: Other: Normal hearing group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Activation areas in the brain that are responsible for lexical tone perception
To identify the activation area(s) in the brain that are responsible for lexical tone perception in normal hearing participants
Measured: 2015-2019
Secondary outcomes (2)
Accuracy rate
Accuracy rate of passive listening task
Measured: 2015-2019
Reaction Time
reaction time of passive listening task
Measured: 2015-2019
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Oct 2019
- Study start12 Feb 2017
- Primary completion25 Feb 2018
- Study completion30 Sep 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Lexical ToneStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Chinese University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
- Enrolment
- 29 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Kathy Y.S. LEE, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Investigators
- Yuet Sheung Lee, Professor, Principal investigator, Chinese University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04135105
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Lexical tone perception(fMRI)
- Status last verified
- Jan 2020
- First submitted
- 19 Oct 2019
- Last updated
- 27 Jan 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Jan 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Lexical Tone Perception in Tone Language speakers--a fMRI Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04135105
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Lexical tone perception(fMRI)
- Conditions
- Lexical Tone, Neuroimaging, Chinese, Speech Perception
- Keywords
- Speech Perception, Neuroimaging, Lexical Tone, Chinese
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 29 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Study start
- 12 Feb 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Feb 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Oct 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Tone language refers to a language that uses fixed pitch pattern to distinguish words (Yip, 2002). Understanding the functional anatomy of the brain during lexical tone processing will provide useful hints for an effective intervention strategy such as brain stimulation. The present study investigate the cortical organisation of the brain in lexical tone perception of Cantonese speakers by the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Detailed description
Tone language refers to a language that uses fixed pitch pattern to distinguish words (Yip, 2002). Cantonese is one of the main tone languages spoken by over 70 million around the world (Li et al.,1995; Adolfsson, 2010). Individuals with significant hearing impairment often present great difficulty in tone perception, affecting their understanding of words and hence, hamper their overall communication. The poor tone perception persists even with intensive auditory training coupled with advanced hearing technology such as cochlear implants.
Understanding the functional anatomy of the brain during lexical tone processing will provide useful hints for an effective intervention strategy such as brain stimulation. Researchers have been investigating the neural basis for tone perception in the past decades but failing to come to a consensus on the location of the brain that is responsible for lexical tone processing. The discrepant results may be due to the fact of the differences in subject selection (animals, healthy adults, brain-injured patients, tonal-language and non-tonal language speakers), testing materials and tasks employed (linguistic versus non-linguistic stimuli; dichotic listening versus discrimination and identification tasks) and outcome measurements (performance score, reaction time, accuracy rate, PET scan and fMRI).
Cortical organization, or brain mapping, refers to functional anatomy of the brain. The present study is the first study to systematically investigate the cortical organization of the brain in lexical tone perception of Cantonese speakers by the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A comprehensive set of auditory stimuli specifically for investigating the different levels of lexical tone processing will be constructed. Native Cantonese speakers with normal hearing were recruited. They underwent fMRI while listening to the carefully designed auditory stimuli.
Once the cortical organization of lexical tone processing in Cantonese is identified, the valuable findings could be applied in further brain intervention procedures to tackle the long lasting, unresolved tone perception difficulty encountered by people with hearing impairment or other related disorders.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Normal hearing group | – | Other: Normal hearing groupRight-handed, normal hearing, no reported neurological disorders |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
- Study population
- Recruitment via University mass mail They were paid for their participations.
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- native Cantonese speaker
- right-handed
- normal hearing
- no reported of neurological disorder
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- neurological disorder
- left-handed
- hearing impairment
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Normal hearing groupObservational | Other | Normal hearing group |
Primary outcome
Activation areas in the brain that are responsible for lexical tone perception
Time frame: 2015-2019
To identify the activation area(s) in the brain that are responsible for lexical tone perception in normal hearing participants
2 secondary outcomes
Accuracy rate
Time frame: 2015-2019
Reaction Time
Time frame: 2015-2019
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Jan 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Yuet Sheung Lee, Professor principal investigator
Chinese University of Hong Kong
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Lexical Tone and Neuroimaging, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in China.
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 4 inclusion and 3 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 27 Jan 2020. 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 China. 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.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Activation areas in the brain that are responsible for lexical tone perception (time frame: 2015-2019). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 27 Jan 2020.