Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disease that leads to repetitive movements or vocalisations known as tics. Credit: Raman Oza from Pixabay.

A study by Yale University has shown that real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rt-fMRI-NF) could be beneficial in the treatment of Tourette syndrome.

Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disease that leads to repetitive movements or vocalisations known as tics, occurring in many adolescents.

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In the study, Yale researchers leveraged fMRI to train patients to control their tics. Patients used the imaging technique to monitor the function of their brain in real-time.

Yale University radiology and biomedical imaging department associate professor Michelle Hampson has said that the non-invasive, neuroscience-based approach has been designed to train human brain function towards healthier patterns.

Previously, real-time fMRI was evaluated in various neurological disorders, including depression and Parkinson’s disease.

During the latest study, the technique was tested in Tourette syndrome patients aged 11-19 years with a specific frequency of tics measured using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale.

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Participants were asked to alternately raise and lower activity in the supplementary motor area of the brain, the region related to tics in the condition. Brain activity was displayed as a real-time graph during brain imaging scans.

Compared to placebo and motivation effects without real neurofeedback, a significant decrease in tics was observed in patients who received training with real-time fMRI.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that neurofeedback could aid in the treatment of Tourette symptoms.

Yale Child Study Center associate professor Denis Sukhodolsky noted: “Currently, available treatments for tics in Tourette syndrome include behaviour therapy and pharmaceuticals but not everyone responds. This is the first study of its kind showing that rt-fMRI-NF has potential as a treatment for Tourette syndrome.”

While the study is currently small-scale, the team expects the results to promote further research.