Possible cure for Tourette’s through wristwatch-style gadget



Tourette’s can cause sufferers to make involuntary noises known as tics (Credits: Getty Images/EyeEm) People with Tourette’s have new found hope thanks to a wristwatch-like device.

The groundbreaking technology could change the lives of thousands of people living with Tourette Syndrome (TS) by sending pulses to their wrist which help to reduce their tics, new research shows.

Study participant Charlie, who has had TS for three years, wanted to ‘cry with happiness’ after his first session of the stimulation and said the breakthrough technology will ‘hopefully change people’s lives for good.’

The 21-year-old, from Lincolnshire, said: ‘I’ve tried a lot of different medications, therapies, relaxation techniques, support groups and diet changes to try to relieve my Tourette’s. Although I was skeptical, I was keen to be involved in this study.

‘The whole experiment was very surreal. When the electrical pulse on the wrist started to increase, the tic urges decreased, which was a completely shocking experience for me.

‘I was silent and still. For a further three sessions I noticed the same result, also the stimulation did decrease my tics at home. At the first session of the stimulation, I felt as if finally, a new treatment may have been found to free myself from my Tourette’s and wanted to cry with happiness.

‘This breakthrough could change individual’s mental stability in life and confidence, which is vital as Tourette’s Syndrome can destroy your life a tic at time. This breakthrough will hopefully change people’s lives for the good.’

TS is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is usually diagnosed between the ages of eight and 12.

TS is usually diagnosed between the ages of eight and 12 (Credits: Getty Images/iStockphoto) People with TS make repetitive involuntary sounds and movements called tics which occur in bouts, typically many times in a single day.

These tics are caused by changes in chemical signals in the brain and often come after a strong urge-to-tic, known as a premonitory urge (PU).

In the new study, scientists used repetitive trains of stimulation to the median nerve (MNS) at the wrist to increase the strength of electrical brain activity, known as brain oscillations.

This managed to substantially reduce the frequency and intensity of tics and the urge to tic in people with TS.

Study lead author Barbara Morera Maiquez, from the University of Nottingham, said: ‘The results of this study were quite remarkable, especially in those people with the most severe tics, and showed that this type of stimulation has real potential as a treatment aid for Tourette’s.

‘Our aim is to develop a wearable ‘watch-like’ MNS stimulator that looks like an Apple Watch or Fitbit and can be used by the individual outside of the clinic as and when they need to control their tics.’

A total 19 people with TS took...

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