Research combines theoretical modeling with behavioral and neuroimaging experiments to characterize the neural computations underlying speech.
Originator of the DIVA model, which provides a quantitative account of the neural computations underlying speech motor control and their breakdown in communication disorders such as stuttering and apraxia of speech.
Develops brain-machine interfaces to restore speech communication to individuals suffering from locked-in syndrome, characterized by complete paralysis with intact cognition.
Speech neuroscience
Neuroimaging
Neural prosthesis
Selected Presentations
Meier, A., Bush, A., Richardson, R.M., & Guenther, F.H. (2023) Phonological encoding during speech planning exhibits sequence-dependent topography. Organization for Human Brain Mapping Annual Conference.
Garnett, E.O., Nieto Castanon, A., Holland, B., Tourville, J., Chow, H., Guenther, F., & Chang, S-E. (2022). Stuttering Severity is Reflected in Auditory Cortical Volume in Children Who Stutter. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA.
Kearney, E., Miller, H. E., Chang, S-E., & Guenther, F. H. (2022, November). DIVA Explained: Applying Models of Speech Production to Clinical Populations. 2022 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention. New Orleans, LA.
Miller, H. E., Garnett, E. O., Heller Murray, E. S., Nieto-Castañón, A., Tourville, J, Chang S-E., & Guenther, F. H. (2022, November). Structural morphometry of stuttering across the lifespan. 2022 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention. New Orleans, LA.
Masapollo, M., Zezas, E., Smith, D.J., & Guenther, F.H. (2022). Effects of memory storage and execution on speech motor sequence learning. 2022 Motor Speech Conference, Charleston, SC.
Guenther, F. H., Kearney, E., Heller Murray, E. S., & Nieto-Castanon, A. (2021). Quantitative modeling of reflexive responses to auditory perturbations. Paper presented at the Neural Bases of Speech Production Symposium. San Francisco, CA.
Kearney, E., Jiang, L., & Guenther, F.H. (2021). Converging neural representations of the speech subsystems: A meta-analysis. Poster presented at the Boston Speech Motor Control Symposium. Virtual.
Masapollo, M., & Guenther, F.H. (2021). Dissociation between phonological working memory structures and motor programming units during speech motor sequence learning, 6th Florida Linguistics Yearly Meeting [lecture], Gainesville, FL.
Frankford, S.A., Cai, S., & Guenther F.H. (2021). “Responses to auditory feedback perturbations in adults who stutter during syllable-timed speech.” 12th Oxford Dysfluency Conference. Online. January 7-8.
Frankford, S.A., Heller Murray, E.S., Masapollo, M., Cai, S., Tourville, J.A., Nieto-Castañón, A., & Guenther, F.H. (2020). The neural circuitry underlying the “rhythm effect” in stuttering. Meeting planner, 20th Biennial Conference on Motor Speech. Santa Barbara, CA, February 19-23.
Selected Publications
Miller, H.E., Kearney, E., Nieto Castañón, A., Falsini, R., Abur, D., Acosta, A., Chao, S., Dahl, K.L., Franken, M., Heller Murray, E.S., Mollaei, F., Niziolek, C.A., Parrell, B., Perrachione, T., Smith, D.J., Stepp, C.E., Tomassi, N., & Guenther, F.H. (2023). Don’t Cut Off Your Tail: A Mega-Analysis of Responses to Auditory Perturbation Experiments. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 18, 1-17, PMID: 37850867 DOI: 10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00315.
Meier, A.M., Kuzdeba, S., Jackson, L., Daliri, A., Tourville, J.A., Guenther, F.H. & J. D. W. Greenlee (2023). Lateralization and time-course of cortical phonological representations during syllable production. eNeuro, 10, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0474-22.2023.
Miller, H.E., Garnett, E.O., Heller Murray, E.S., Nieto-Castañón, A., Tourville, J.A., Chang, S., & Guenther, F.H. (2023). Structural Morphometry of Stuttering across the Lifespan. Brain Communications.
Meier, A.M., & Guenther, F.H. (2023). Neurocomputational modeling of speech motor development. Journal of Child Language, 50, 1318-1335. PMID: 37337871 PMCID: PMC10615680 (available on 2024-11-01)
de Zubicaray, G.I., Arciuli, J., Guenther, F.H., McMahon, K.L. & Kearney, E. (2023). Non-arbitrary mappings between size and sound of English words: Form typicality effects during lexical access and memory. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 6, PMID: 37332149 DOI: 10.1177/17470218231184940.
Meier, A.M., Bush, A., Richardson, R.M., & Guenther, F.H. (2023). Phonological encoding during speech planning exhibits sequence-dependent topography. Organization for Human Brain Mapping Annual Conference.
Masapollo, M., Zezas, E., Shamsi, A., Wayland, R., Smith, D.J., & Guenther, F.H. (2023). Disentangling effects of working memory storage and motor execution on speech motor sequence learning. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research.
de Zubicaray, G.I., Arciuli, J., Kearney, E., Guenther, F.H., & McMahon, K.L. (2023). On the roles of form systematicity and sensorimotor effects in language processing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 49, pp. 431-444.
Heller Murray, E.S., Segawa, J.A., Karahanoglu, F.I., Tocci, C., Tourville, J.A., Nieto-Castanon, A., Tager-Flusberg, H., Manoach, D.S., & Guenther, F.H. (2022). Increased intra-subject variability of neural activity during speech production in people with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 94, 101955. PMCID: PMC9119427
Frankford, S.A., Cai, S., Nieto-Castañón, A., & Guenther, F.H. (2022). Auditory feedback control in adults who stutter during metronome-paced speech II. Formant perturbation. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 74, 105928.
Frankford, S.A., Cai, S., Nieto-Castañón, A., & Guenther, F.H. (2022). Auditory feedback control in adults who stutter during metronome-paced speech I. Timing perturbation. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 17, 105943.
Miller, H.E., Cordella, C., Collins, J.A., Ezzo, R., Quimby, M., Hochberg, D., Tourville, J.A., Dickerson, B.C. & Guenther, F.H. (2021). Neural substrates of verbal repetition deficits in primary progressive aphasia. Brain Communications, 3(1), fcab015. PMCID: PMC7955979
Masapollo, M., Segawa, J.A., Beal, D.S., Tourville, J.A., Nieto-Castañón, A., Heyne, M., Frankford, S.A., & Guenther, F.H. (2021). Behavioral and neural correlates of speech motor sequence learning in stuttering and neurotypical speakers: an fMRI investigation. Neurobiology of Language, 2(1), 106-137. PMCID: PMC8294667
Frankford, S.A., Heller Murray, E.S., Masapollo, M., Cai, S., Tourville, J.A., Nieto-Castañón, A., & Guenther, F.H. (2021). The neural circuitry underlying the ‘rhythm effect’ in stuttering. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64, 2325-2346. doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.27.350975. PMCID: PMC8740675
Professional Activities
Faculty Member, Harvard/MIT Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology (1998 – Present)
Research Affiliate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1997 – Present)
Visiting Scientist, Massachusetts General Hospital (2003 – Present)
Grant Activity
NIH R01 DC016270, Principal Investigator (with C. Stepp; 3/1/2018- 2/28/2023)
NIH R01 DC007683, Principal Investigator (5/1/2016-4/30/2026)
NIH U01 NS117836, Investigator (PI M. Richardson; 10/30/2020-06/30/2025)
NIH R01 DC019354, Investigator (PI M. Long; 4/1/2021-03/31/2026)
Awards and Honors
2014 – Curt von Euler Award and Honorary Lecture, Stockholm University/Karolinska Institute
2011 – Top 10 Finalist, G.Tec Annual International Brain-Computer Interface Research Award
2009 – Distinguished Speaker in Cognitive Science, Michigan State University
2008 – Elected Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America
2007 –Editor’s Award for top article in speech, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
2007 –Editor’s Award for top article in hearing, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
2007 –Willard R. Zemlin Lecture Award, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2006 –M.D. Steer Distinguished Lecturer, Purdue University
2004 –Distinguished Lecturer in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard/MIT
