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Role of Frontal Cortex in the Pathophysiology of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS)

Role of Frontal Cortex in the Pathophysiology of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS)

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03604510
Acronym
TIC-EEG
Enrollment
14
Registered
2018-07-27
Start date
2018-02-02
Completion date
2020-03-03
Last updated
2026-05-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Tourette Syndrome

Brief summary

Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a debilitating and severe syndrome whose pathophysiology remains unclear. In order to precise the cortical regions involved in the generation of tics, investigators will realize an electroencephalogram (EEG) recording in the frontal cortex of TS patients in ecological conditions (EEG-holter). Activity changes will be correlated with event markers of tics and neurovegetative parameters. Statistical analyses will be compared between epochs of EEG recording with tics and without tics. The aim is to define the cortical regions involved in the genesis of tics in order to consider new targets for cortical stimulation.

Detailed description

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a childhood-onset disorder characterized by the presence of multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic often associated with psychiatric co-morbidity. The expression of tics range from brief, recurrent and non-rhythmic motor or vocal actions (simple tics) to complex motor or vocal sequences (complex tics). The pathophysiology of tics is not yet fully understood. Recent imaging data suggest that the pattern of functional connectivity in cortico-basal ganglia networks is disrupted in GTS patients and could reflect a defect in brain maturation. However, regions involved in the immediate genesis of tics remains unknown since it is difficult to capture on line the cortical changes associated with tic generation using imaging techniques due to moving artefacts. Moreover, tics are much more frequent in everyday life conditions than in the artificial conditions of a laboratory. The aim is to study cortical activity changes occurring before tic occurrence by using long duration recording of encephalographic activity (EEG) in ecological conditions through Holter EEG techniques (24h recordings). Recordings will be performed in 15 patients with a severe form of Tourette's syndromes. EEG changes will be correlated to event markers, voluntary monitored by patients or automatically recorded (accelerometers for motor tics). EEG epoch centered on tics will be compared to similar epochs without tics. The occurrence of tics will also be correlated with neurovegetative markers of emotions such as RR interval ECG variability and skin resistivity changes. The ultimate goal of this project is to define a potential therapeutic target of tics for chronic cortical stimulation.

Interventions

24 hours of electroencephalographic recordings (EEG-Holter) of prefrontal activity of Tourette's syndrome (TS) patients in ecological conditions.

Sponsors

University Hospital, Bordeaux
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
12 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Tourette's syndrome since at least 2 years * Lack of psychiatric comorbidity of axis 1 (depression) * Y-YSGT score \> 20 * Social insurance in accordance with the french law

Exclusion criteria

* Epilepsia * Patient with an implanted medical device * Severe mental or somatic disease * Risk of suicide, * Pregnant or breast feeding women * Patient under "curatelle" or "tutelle" * Patient hospitalized no social insurance

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Electroencephalogram (EEG) signalDuring 24 hours24 hours recording of encephalographic activity (EEG) in ecological conditions through Holter EEG.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Tic occurenceDuring 24 hoursOccurence of tic recorded by the patient with a button press connected with a case and automatically recorded with an accelerometers for motor tics.
AgeDay 0
GenderDay 0
Disease durationDay 0
Neurovegetative marker of emotions : RR IntervalDuring 24 hoursIntervals between R waves (RR interval) from the electrocardiogram
Neurovegetative marker of emotions : skin conductanceDuring 24 hoursSkin conductance registered with a Bracelet sensor
MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview)Day 0
Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Sacle (MADRS) ScoreDay 0
State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI A and B)Day 0
Global Assessment of Functioning Score (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale)Day 0
Yale Global Tic severity score (YGTS)Day 0
ADHD RS rating score (ADHD RS rating Scale)Day 0
Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Score (Y-BOCS Scale)Day 0
Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised Score (OCI-R)Day 0

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 21, 2026