Clinical Characteristics and Temporal Properties of Individual Tics in Persistent Tic Disorder

Description

The goal of this clinical study is to learn more about the timing of tics (sudden, fast movements and sounds that people do and make without meaning to) in people who have multiple tics that have been going on for more than one year. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. See whether a tic's timing is related to other characteristics of the tic, like how long it has been happening and how well the person can control/stop that tic 2. See whether the timing of a tic can tell us how well the person can control/stop that tic 3. See whether tic treatment changes the timing of tics, and if the timing of a tic has anything to do with how well treatment will work to stop it Participants will meet with a study researcher to learn more about the study, ask questions, and decide whether or not they would like to be involved. If they decide to do the study, they will meet with the researcher 6 times: 1. During the first visit, the study researcher will ask questions about the participant's life, tics, and other psychological symptoms. The researcher will watch the participant's tics for 10 minutes. The participant will do a computer task where they follow instructions to tic or not tic. 2. During the second visit, the study researcher will treat one of the participant's tics. 3. During the third visit, the study researcher will treat another one of the participant's tics. 4. During the fourth visit, the study researcher will treat another one of the participant's tics. 5. During the fifth visit, the study researcher will treat another one of the participant's tics. 6. During the sixth visit, the study researcher will ask questions about the participant's tics and other psychological symptoms. The participant will do a computer task where they follow instructions to tic or not tic.

Conditions

Tics, Tic Disorders, Vocal Tic, Motor Tic, Tourette Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome in Children, Tourette Syndrome in Adolescence, Tics/Tremor

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

The goal of this clinical study is to learn more about the timing of tics (sudden, fast movements and sounds that people do and make without meaning to) in people who have multiple tics that have been going on for more than one year. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. See whether a tic's timing is related to other characteristics of the tic, like how long it has been happening and how well the person can control/stop that tic 2. See whether the timing of a tic can tell us how well the person can control/stop that tic 3. See whether tic treatment changes the timing of tics, and if the timing of a tic has anything to do with how well treatment will work to stop it Participants will meet with a study researcher to learn more about the study, ask questions, and decide whether or not they would like to be involved. If they decide to do the study, they will meet with the researcher 6 times: 1. During the first visit, the study researcher will ask questions about the participant's life, tics, and other psychological symptoms. The researcher will watch the participant's tics for 10 minutes. The participant will do a computer task where they follow instructions to tic or not tic. 2. During the second visit, the study researcher will treat one of the participant's tics. 3. During the third visit, the study researcher will treat another one of the participant's tics. 4. During the fourth visit, the study researcher will treat another one of the participant's tics. 5. During the fifth visit, the study researcher will treat another one of the participant's tics. 6. During the sixth visit, the study researcher will ask questions about the participant's tics and other psychological symptoms. The participant will do a computer task where they follow instructions to tic or not tic.

Clinical Characteristics and Temporal Properties of Individual Tics in Persistent Tic Disorder

Clinical Characteristics and Temporal Properties of Individual Tics in Persistent Tic Disorder

Condition
Tics
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Salt Lake City

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84112

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * 8 to 12 years old child who meets the criteria for diagnosis of a persistent tic disorder (e.g., persistent motor/vocal tic disorder or Tourette's disorder; i.e., engages in motor and/or vocal tics that have been present for at least one year)
  • * The child's tics initially onset before age 10.
  • * The child currently engages in at least four different motor and/or vocal tics per minute, on average, during a 10-minute observation period.
  • * The child has a minimum Total Tic Severity Score of 20 on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (10 for motor or vocal tics only)
  • * If the child is on tic-suppressing or psychotropic medication, the dose has been stable for at least 6 weeks with no changes or planned changes in medication status during the study period.
  • * Parent and child read and speak fluent English.
  • * The parent is 18+ years of age.
  • * Access to a private computer with high-speed internet access and private setting.
  • * If, based on the assessment of the study investigators, the child has any serious psychiatric or neurological condition that would interfere with study participation (e.g., unmanaged attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
  • * The child has a self- or parent-reported history of, or is reasonably suspected to have or meet criteria for, functional neurological symptom disorder.
  • * The child has received more than two sessions of behavioral treatment for tics for which tic suppression was a primary component.
  • * The child has a Total Tic Severity Score of 40+ on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (20+ for motor/vocal tics only).

Ages Eligible for Study

8 Years to 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Utah,

Michael Himle, PhD, STUDY_CHAIR, University of Utah

Study Record Dates

2024-12