Study of Aripiprazole Effects on Speech and Brain Function in Adults Who Stutter Ages 18 to 65

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of aripiprazole, a drug that affects dopamine, on adults who stutter. Stuttering is a speech disorder that affects fluency, and this study aims to better understand the sensorimotor pathways involved in stuttering and explore possible treatments. The study focuses on how fluency may improve through auditory feedback changes or drugs that regulate dopamine uptake. Participants will receive a single oral dose of 10 mg aripiprazole or a placebo. The study is randomized and triple-blinded, meaning neither participants nor administrators know which treatment is given. This dose is investigational for stuttering and differs from typical uses of aripiprazole, which is approved for other mental health conditions. During the study, participants will be assessed 3 to 4 hours after taking the dose for changes in speech-related brain activity and auditory processing, such as pre-speech auditory modulation and feedback alterations. Researchers will measure these outcomes to understand how aripiprazole affects speech fluency and sensorimotor function. The study is sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco and includes healthy adults aged 18 to 65 who stutter.

Dopamine and Sensorimotor Function in Stuttering