Quantifying Tourette tics with video and computer tools
Official title: Quantification of Tics in Tourette Syndrome
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11333220 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to develop and test video-based, automated ways to measure tic severity in people with Tourette Syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $565,992 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS131314-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333220 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with Tourette Syndrome or other tic-related conditions, including a broad age range and diverse backgrounds, who can provide video data and clinical information.
✕Less likely to help
People without tic disorders or those unable to participate in video-based remote data collection may receive no direct benefit.
What this research studies
If approved, researchers will collect videos and clinical data from about 1,000 people with tics using remote methods. They will describe the full range of tic presentations and establish benchmarks for tic severity. They also plan to build a computer-vision and machine-learning system to automatically detect the most common tics from the videos. The work builds on prior methods with trained raters and aims to create scalable tools that could support diagnosis and monitoring in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive faster, more objective tic assessments and better monitoring of symptom changes over time.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that computer-vision methods can quantify movement; this study advances to automated tic detection in a large, real-world sample.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conelea, Christine a — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Conelea, Christine a
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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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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International collaboration mapping genes and brain scans in Tourette syndrome
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.
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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.
-
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.