Neurofeedback From the Supplementary Motor Area for Tourette Syndrome

Yale University

Status

Enrolling

Conditions

Tourette Syndrome in Adolescence

Treatments

Other: Neurofeedback from the SMA

Other: Neurofeedback from control region

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT05558566

1R01MH127147-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

2000033043

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a clinical trial where adolescents aged 10-16 years old with Tourette Syndrome (or chronic tic disorder) are randomized to receive either real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback targeting the supplementary motor area (for the experimental intervention) or real-time fMRI neurofeedback (NF) from a control region (for the control intervention).

Full description

The training portion of this study involves three fMRI NF sessions, with six NF scans per session. NF scans alternate between up-regulate and down-regulate blocks in which participants are cued to increase or decrease activity in the target region while receiving feedback on activity in the region at the bottom of the screen in the form of a line graph. The experimental group receives feedback from the supplementary motor area (SMA) and the control group receives feedback from a control region of the brain.

Enrollment

64 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

10 to 16 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Boys and girls, 10 to 16 years of age
A current diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome (TS) or chronic tic disorder (CTD), with active tics that can be executed without head movement, and a YGTSS score of at least 13 (for TS participants) or at least 12 (for CTD participants)
Currently stable medication treatment and no planned changes in medication for the duration of the study.
Family residence within 2 hours of Yale Medical Center with ability and willingness to attend assessment and fMRI visits.
Children and their parents are expected to be able to speak and understand spoken English in order to participate in a clinical assessment of TS and related psychopathology.
Subjects will be free of: 1) metal medical implants or braces, 2) pregnancy, and will have 3) a body weight of less than 250 lbs. and 4) no claustrophobia.

Exclusion criteria

Intelligence quotient below 80
Current diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, bipolar or psychotic disorder or current suicidality
Significant medical condition such as heart disease, hypertension, liver or renal failure, pulmonary disease, seizure disorder
Recently initiated psychotherapy. Participation in the study will not be allowed within 8 weeks of the initiation of psychotherapy. Ongoing, concurrent psychotherapy (that was initiated at least 8 weeks previously) for the child will be allowed, but parents will be asked not to initiate any new psychotherapy for the child during the study
Subjects may also be excluded after the first MR scan if we are unable to localize the two regions in their brain that are used as targets for the active and control neurofeedback conditions.