Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over the Supplementary Motor Area in Tourette Syndrome

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the supplementary motor area (SMA) has shown promise in Tourette syndrome (TS), but previous studies were limited in size and stimulation duration.

Objective: The aim was to explore the efficacy and safety of multiple sessions of cathodal tDCS over the bilateral SMA on tic severity in TS.

Methods: A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial 1 mA cathodal tDCS over bilateral SMA was performed in participants with TS older than 16 years. The intervention involved two 20-min periods of stimulation with either sham or active tDCS per day, over 5 consecutive days, during which participants actively suppressed tics. Tic severity was measured using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale Total Tic Severity (YGTSS-TTS, primary outcome) score at baseline, day 5 (visit 5), and 1 week later (visit 6). Questionnaires focusing on comorbidities were performed at baseline and visit 6.

Results: Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned (12 active, 12 sham; 8 women; median age: 26). We observed a significant effect of visit on YGTSS-TSS, but no significant effect of treatment or treatment × visit interaction emerged. In contrast, a statistically significant effect of the treatment × visit interaction was observed for the motor tic subscore, with significantly larger improvement in the active arm. Furthermore, we detected a significantly larger decrease in premonitory urge intensity at visit 6 after active stimulation. No effect was detected on severity of comorbidities.

Conclusions: This preliminary study suggests that bilateral tDCS over the SMA provides small, but significant benefits in reducing motor tic severity in TS.