International collaboration mapping genes and brain scans in Tourette syndrome
Official title: Tourette Syndrome genetics and neuroimaging international collaborative study
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11250036 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project brings together MRI brain scans and genetic data from people with Tourette syndrome and related conditions to spot biological patterns linked to tics and co-occurring symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | March 4, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $488,047 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH126213-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11250036 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with Tourette syndrome—especially children and adolescents—and those with common co-occurring diagnoses such as ADHD, OCD, ASD, anxiety, or depression, as well as healthy volunteers for comparison.
✕Less likely to help
People looking for immediate new treatments or those without Tourette syndrome or related neuropsychiatric conditions are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would join a large international effort that combines brain MRI scans and genetic data from people with Tourette syndrome and from those with common co-occurring conditions like ADHD, OCD, autism, anxiety, and depression. Participants may provide a DNA sample, medical records, and/or undergo a standardized MRI scan at a participating site or contribute existing data. Researchers use shared processing pipelines and pooled data from many centers to find consistent brain and genetic features tied to tics and comorbidity. The goal is to explain why some people with Tourette's develop additional psychiatric conditions and to lay the groundwork for better-targeted care in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify brain and genetic markers that improve diagnosis and help guide development of more targeted treatments for Tourette syndrome and related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Large international consortia like ENIGMA have successfully pooled MRI and genetic data to find brain signatures in other psychiatric disorders, and prior Tourette genetics work has shown some risk signals, but this broad integrated approach is relatively new for TS.
Where this research is happening
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Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Paschou, Peristera — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Paschou, Peristera
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Precision brain mapping of tics in children with Tourette syndrome
A new study uses advanced MRI to map brain activity in individual kids with Tourette syndrome to understand why tics differ from child to child.
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Digital tic-detection partner to support Tourette syndrome therapy
A computer vision system will help detect tics in children and youths with Tourette syndrome to support behavioral therapy at home and in real life.
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Quantifying Tourette tics with video and computer tools
This project aims to develop and test video-based, automated ways to measure tic severity in people with Tourette Syndrome.
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Brain-feedback training to help teens with Tourette control tics
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.
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How Tourette syndrome develops in the brain
Researchers are using donated brain tissue and patient-derived stem cells to learn why people with Tourette syndrome have fewer specific brain cells in the basal ganglia.
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Investigating brain imaging and cognitive markers in children with Tourette syndrome
This study is looking at how Tourette syndrome affects kids by using brain scans and tests over time to see how their brain functions change as they grow, with the goal of finding ways to help manage their symptoms better.
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.