Wristband ‘Zapper’ might help calm Tourette Syndrome

Team Udayavani, Jun 7, 2020, 1:59 PM IST

According to British researchers, a wristband that zaps a key nerve may help calm the uncontrollable tics of Tourette syndrome

Tics are involuntary movements and sounds such as throat-clearing, blinking etc. associated with Tourette syndrome

Stephen Jackson, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at the University of Nottingham, said, “We think we’ve come up with a safe and effective piece of technology that we believe is relatively cheap that will give control over tics to people with Tourette syndrome”

The team tested the approach in 19 people with Tourette syndrome who wore a specialized wristband.

It is said that the participants were randomly given a minute of constant electric pulses to their right wrist and one-minute periods with no stimulation. Researchers found that the stimulation reduced the tics and also the urge to tic.

The team is planning a larger trial with an aim of developing a wristband that patients can activate whenever they feel a tic coming on.