Brain-feedback training to help teens with Tourette control tics
Neurofeedback from the supplementary motor area for Tourette Syndrome
This project teaches teenagers with Tourette syndrome to use real-time MRI brain-feedback to change activity in a motor brain area with the goal of reducing tics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308704 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be taught to watch real-time activity from a motor brain area (the supplementary motor area, or SMA) while inside an MRI scanner and use mental strategies to make that activity go up or down. You will be cued to try things like imagining complex movements or doing mentally demanding tasks to increase activity, and imagining relaxing scenes to reduce activity, with feedback showing your success. The trial randomly assigns participants to the active neurofeedback or a control condition and includes follow-up visits to see whether any improvements last. The aim is to confirm promising results seen in a smaller earlier study using a larger, randomized design.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are teenagers diagnosed with Tourette syndrome who can safely have MRI scans, tolerate repeated scanner sessions, and attend scheduled follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People who cannot undergo MRI (for example, due to metal implants), those outside the trial's age range, or individuals whose symptoms are not primarily Tourette-related may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer adolescents with Tourette a non-drug therapy that teaches self-control of brain activity and may reduce tic severity.
How similar studies have performed: A prior small crossover study of the same neurofeedback approach reported promising large clinical effects, but those results now need confirmation in a larger randomized trial.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hampson, Michelle — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Hampson, Michelle
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.