Neurofeedback of Activity in the Supplementary Motor Area for Tourette Syndrome
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Tourette Syndrome
- Sponsor
- Yale University
- Enrollment
- 21
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Tic severity
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 7 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to train patients with tic disorders to control activity in a region of their brain that has been associated with the urge to tic. Patients will be given direct feedback regarding activity in this brain area while they are undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning, and will try to learn to control activity in the region during these feedback sessions. In separate sessions, patients will be given sham feedback based on the brain patterns of a prior subject rather than their own brain patterns. Our primary hypothesis is that the biofeedback training will reduce their tic symptoms more than the sham feedback.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome or Chronic Tic Disorder
- •currently active tics
- •aged 11-19
- •ability to execute most common tics without moving head while lying on back
Exclusion Criteria
- •Blindness (because feedback is provided visually)
- •Lifetime diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychotic disorder.
- •Presence of any serious psychiatric or psychosocial condition requiring initiation of new treatment or change in current treatment.
- •Neurological conditions affecting central nervous system, with the exception that predisposition to migraine will not be grounds for exclusion
- •Change in medication in the month prior to beginning the study
- •Unwillingness to keep medication stable over the course of the intervention
- •Full braces (but some retainers are OK)
- •Claustrophobia of a degree that they cannot comfortably be scanned
- •If common tics involve dramatic changes in breathing that could alter blood oxygenation measurements
- •Inability to keep head still while executing most common tics
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Tic severity
Time Frame: Tic severity assessed approximately half a week AFTER completing biofeedback/sham feedback.
A modified version of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) will be used, that queries subjects regarding symptoms over the last 3 days (rather than the 2 week period used in the standard scale). Total YGTSS score on this modified scale will be used as the measure of tic severity.
Secondary Outcomes
- Control over target brain area(Assessed approximately half a week AFTER biofeedback/sham biofeedback.)