A surgical technique that sends electrical impulses to a specific area of the brain reduces the “tics,” or involuntary movements and vocal outbursts, experienced by young adults with severe cases of Tourette syndrome, according to a new study led by investigators from NYU Langone Medical Center.
The study, published April 7 in the Journal of Neurosurgery, is a retrospective review of Tourette patients who underwent an experimental technique known as thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) at NYU Langone. The findings, according to the researchers, add to a growing body of evidence supporting DBS as a safe and effective treatment for severe cases of Tourette syndrome - and may ultimately lead to approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
