Welcome to the CO Motor Speech Lab
Welcome to the Colorado Motor Speech Lab
Motor Speech 91ÃÛÌÒ¸ó with Clinical Relevance at the Center
The Colorado Motor Speech Lab, directed by Dr. Allison I. Hilger, investigates how motor plans for speech production are executed and how these processes become impaired in neurological disorders.
Our research is designed to support speech-language pathologists in understanding, assessing, and conceptualizing motor speech disorders. We emphasize mechanism-based thinking, moving beyond diagnostic labels to focus on how disruptions in planning, coordination, and execution shape speech behavior.
Supporting Clinical Decision Making
We aim to produce research and frameworks that clinicians can use to:
- Strengthen diagnostic reasoning
- Interpret complex speech profiles
- Connect theory to real-world clinical decision making
Our work bridges research and practice, providing clinicians with tools and frameworks that support evidence-based assessment and intervention.
Participate in 91ÃÛÌÒ¸ó
We are currently conducting research studies and recruiting participants to help advance our understanding of speech, breath control, laryngeal movement, and swallowing in neurological disorders.
We are recruiting:
- Adults with spinocerebellar ataxia (any subtype) or Friedreich's ataxia
- Parkinson's disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS)
- Huntington's disease
- Multiple system atrophy (MSA)
- Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Cerebral palsy
- Adults without neurological conditions to serve as control participants
Interested in participating? Contact us at allison.hilger@colorado.edu or complete our participant interest survey.