The results of
the clinical trial of a new wrist device designed to help control the symptoms
of Tourette syndrome have shown it significantly reduces the severity and
frequency of tics.
The prototype wrist device, which was recently tried
out by Lewis Capaldi, delivers electrical pulses to reduce the amount and severity of tics experienced by
individuals with Tourette's and was trialed by 121 people across the UK. The
results have been announced in MedRxiv.
The device has been developed by scientists at the
University of Nottingham and spin-out company Neurotherapuetics Ltd who have recently secured £1m in additional funding to
commercialize the 'Neupulse' device with the aim of having a device and App
available within the next 3 years.
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is usually diagnosed between the ages of eight and 12. It causes involuntary sounds and movements called tics. Tics are repetitive, stereotyped movements and vocalizations that occur in bouts, typically many times in a single day, and are often preceded by a strong urge-to-tic, referred to as a premonitory urge (PU).
Mylo Roberts taking part in the Tourettes
clinical trial. Credit: University of Nottingham
Previous research by
scientists from the University of Nottingham's School of Psychology and School
of Medicine used repetitive trains of electrical stimulation to the median nerve (MNS) at
the wrist to entrain rhythmic electrical brain activity—known as brain
oscillations—associated with the suppression of movements. They found that
rhythmic MNS substantially reduces tic frequency and tic intensity, and remove
the urge-to-tic, in individuals with TS.
Trial participants used the device at home at a similar time each day for
15 mins for a period of one month. A subset of people were also videoed each
day. Each week participants gave feedback on their experience.
The results of the trial revealed that people who received active
stimulation experienced a significant reduction in the severity and frequency
of their tics. On average, they saw a reduction in tic frequency of more than
25% while they received stimulation.
After using the device for 4 weeks, people who received active stimulation
experienced a reduction in their tic severity of more than 35%. In total, 59%
of the people who received active stimulation experienced a reduction in tic
severity of at least 25% compared to baseline.
13-year-old Mylo was one of the participants in the trial. His parents noticed
unusual symptoms when he was a toddler, but he wasn't diagnosed until he was 10
after his tics became more noticeable. He said, "The device was easy to
use—you strap it on like a watch and press a button to start it. You have to
make sure the pads are on the back properly otherwise it might hurt a tiny bit.
When the stimulation occurs it feels a bit like a fizzing on my wrist and
forearm, not painful just a bit different.
The device definitely helped my tics. I still did the occasional tic when
it was on but the need to do it was a lot less. I definitely want this device
when it is available. I think it can help people with Tourette's in different
ways. For me, I would use it if I was going to the cinema or the theatre—places
where you sometimes have to be quiet or still so you don't disturb people.
Tourette's can be really exhausting sometimes, like when you have a tic attack
and can't get a break from it—this device could really help with that. I think
different people would benefit in different ways—because Tourette's can vary
quite a lot. I don't think I would use it all day, just when I felt I
especially needed it."
Mylo's mum Alex added: "I feel this device could be a great safety net
for us. I don't know how Mylo's Tourette's will progress as he gets older, but
knowing there is something out there that can help if he wants it makes me feel
so much better. I would also say that the device might not be for everyone—if
you are accepting of your tics and they don't impact your life you might not want
or need it, but for those people that really struggle I believe it will make a
significant impact with daily challenges. We feel really lucky to have taken
part in the trial."
Professor Stephen Jackson from the University of Nottingham and Chief
Scientific Officer at Neurotherapeutics Ltd said, "Though
the Neupulse device is still early in development, the results
of this UK-wide double-blind clinical trial have been extremely encouraging.
This device has the potential to dramatically improve the lives of those with
Tourette syndrome, who often face challenges managing their tics, by providing
increased control over their tics on demand."
Dr. Barbara Morera Maiquez, Chief Research Officer at Neurotherapeutics Ltd
managed the trial, she commented: "The results of this trial mark an
exciting step towards an effective, non-invasive treatment for Tourette
syndrome that can be used at home. We are now focused on using the knowledge
from the trial to develop a commercial device that can
be made available to people with Tourette's."
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