Status:
RECRUITING
Distinguishing Tics and Functional Tics Using Clinical Neurophysiological Techniques
Lead Sponsor:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Conditions:
Tics
Functional Tics
Eligibility:
All Genders
18-80 years
Brief Summary
Background: Tics are involuntary movements and vocalizations. Some tics are organic: They are related to diagnosed disorders. Sometimes tics have other causes, such as problems with how the brain and...
Detailed Description
Study Description: The purpose of the protocol is to explore the physiological difference between patients with tics and functional tics. Objectives: Primary Objective: To determine if there are di...
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion
- INCLUSION CRITERIA:
- In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
- Capacity to provide informed consent (self-consent)
- Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
- Male or female, aged 18-80
- Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations prior to and during the physiological testing visit.
- Inclusion criteria for patients with functional tics or tics
- \- Diagnosed with functional motor tics or motor tics
- Inclusion criteria for healthy controls
- \- Have no neurological or psychiatric disorders established by history and physical/neurological examination
- EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
- Self-reported consumption of \>14 alcoholic drinks/week\* for a man and \>7 alcoholic drinks/week for a woman
- Use of prescription drugs and other illicit drugs that may suppress tics such as dopamine blocking agents and antipsychotics during a certain time period prior to the
- neurophysiological testing session.\*\*
- Clinically significant abnormal movements on neurological examination except for tics.
- Contraindications to EEG or EMG procedures, including skin lesions at electrode sites or hypersensitivity to electrode materials.
- History of or current brain tumor, stroke, head trauma with loss of consciousness.
- Epilepsy or seizures in the past 12 months.
- Have a Baclofen pump, or have neurostimulators for pain.
- Pregnant women
- Self-reported current major depression or Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) score \>19, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) score \> 9, or any major current psychiatric illness.
- Presence of any metal in the eye or skull area such as a brain stimulator, shrapnel, surgical metal, clips in the brain, cochlear implants, metal fragments in the eye.
- Presence of pacemaker, intracardiac lines, implanted pumps or stimulators.
- Unable to comply with the requirements of the study procedures.
- Vocal tics only tested with Modified Rush Video-Based Tic Rating Scale.
- Low Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS) score \< 9 (maximum 36) with low willingness for tics (patient groups only, not applicable in healthy volunteers).
- Note: 1 standard alcoholic drink is 0.6 ounce (14 grams) of pure alcohol.
- Note: The certain time period depends on different drugs used. Five half-lives will be selected. The drug is considered effectively eliminated from the body after this time period because the concentration of the drug reaches around 3% of the orininal concentration.
Exclusion
Key Trial Info
Start Date :
January 14 2026
Trial Type :
OBSERVATIONAL
Allocation :
ESTIMATED
End Date :
August 1 2034
Estimated Enrollment :
75 Patients enrolled
Trial Details
Trial ID
NCT07137442
Start Date
January 14 2026
End Date
August 1 2034
Last Update
January 9 2026
Active Locations (1)
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1
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892