Detecting and stopping tics with targeted deep brain stimulation for Tourette syndrome
Official title: Defining Targets for Tic Detection and Suppression in Tourette Syndrome Deep Brain Stimulation
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11182641 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Adaptive deep brain stimulation devices will be implanted in people with severe, treatment-resistant Tourette syndrome to detect brain signals tied to tics and automatically reduce those tics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $841,387 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3NS119844-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182641 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with severe, medically refractory Tourette syndrome (often including self-injurious tics) who are eligible for and willing to undergo DBS surgery and long-term follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild or well-controlled tics, those unwilling or unable to undergo brain surgery, or those ineligible for DBS are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If your tics are severe and have not improved with medication or therapy, this project implants bilateral brain leads in two specific targets linked to tic control. The implanted device can record your brain activity, learn neurophysiological patterns that happen when tics occur, and deliver stimulation only when those patterns appear. The team will use connectivity-guided targeting and follow implanted patients over time to refine tic detection and closed-loop stimulation settings. Results will build on an international DBS registry to help match brain signals to symptoms and improve personalized therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce tic frequency and severity while limiting continuous stimulation and side effects by delivering therapy only when needed.
How similar studies have gone: Traditional (continuous) DBS has helped some people with severe Tourette syndrome, but closed-loop, tic-triggered stimulation is a newer approach with only limited human data so far.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Okun, Michael S — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Okun, Michael S
Related research
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Identifying brain targets to help control tics in Tourette syndrome using deep brain stimulation
This study is exploring a new way to help people with Tourette syndrome by using a special device that can adjust its treatment based on their tics, aiming to find the best spots in the brain to reduce those tics for those who haven't found relief with other methods.
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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.