Inner speech after stroke and its role in memory and attention
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Inner speech after stroke and its role in memory and attention
IRAS ID
352653
Contact name
Sharon Geva
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Anglia Ruskin Univeristy
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
A097380 , Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust R&D Ref
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Inner speech is defined as the voice in our head. It plays a role in several cognitive processes such as memory (Baddeley & Hitch, 1974) and attention (Nedergaard et al., 2022). Most neurotypical adults can think in words and say those words out loud. In contrast, stroke survivors who have aphasia (people with aphasia; PWA) often experience that the words they think or intend to say (i.e., their inner speech) and the words they can say out loud, do not match (Geva et al., 2011). In this project, we will study inner speech in PWA and seek to understand how difficulties with inner and overt speech interact with people’s attention and memory.
We will recruit adult stroke survivors (minimum 6 months post-stroke) who had or still have symptoms of aphasia. We will also recruit neurotypical adults (NC), to act as comparison group. Participants will be recruited through the Stroke Unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and will attend a maximum of two sessions, either at Anglia Ruskin University or at their homes, where we will assess their inner speech, attention, and memory. We will analyse behavioural data to study the interaction between these cognitive functions. We will also analyse PWA’s MRI/CT scans to identify areas of the brain that are involved in inner speech, by comparing patients with relatively intact to those with impaired inner speech, over and above working memory and attention. MRI/CT scans are acquired as part of routine clinical care and will be used for research purposes only after participants have given permission.
By assessing all three cognitive functions and their neural correlates, we can better understand how and to what extent they relate to one another, and what effect each cognitive domain has on the overall cognitive and language profile of the stroke survivor.REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/PR/1483
Date of REC Opinion
27 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion