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Sound waves aimed at the brain could quiet tics without surgery

NCT ID NCT07699783

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Calgary Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 1 trial tests whether low-energy focused ultrasound can safely and temporarily reduce tics in people with Tourette syndrome. Twenty participants aged 16 and older receive ultrasound to deep brain regions or the motor cortex, or a sham treatment, across four sessions. The goal is to see if this non-invasive approach can modulate the brain circuits involved in tic generation.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
focused ultrasound stimulation
What this could lead to
If successful, this could offer a non-invasive, precise way to reduce tics in Tourette syndrome without surgery or medication.
What could go wrong
This is an early phase 1 trial with only 20 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The effects are temporary (up to 60 minutes) and the approach is highly technical, requiring exact targeting.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 1

The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.

Participants

About 20 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jun 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome according to DSM-5 criteria * a total motor or vocal tic severity sub-score of at least 15, or a total tic severity score greater than 22 on the Yale Global Tic Severity Rating Scale (YGTSS) * a stable medication regimen during the 3 months prior, clinically stable in any psychiatric comorbidities Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindications for MRI

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Tourette syndrome

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Tourette syndrome

How to take part

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  1. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

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  2. A doctor treating you

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