News

Tourette Syndrome has been in the spotlight with BATFA award wins for Kirk Jones’ film I Swear, telling the powerful story of a teenager living with the condition who becomes an outspoken advocate for people living with Tourette.

While audiences were moved by the deeply personal story of the film, behind it lies a success story of scientific breakthrough involving mental health and technology researchers from the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Wearable technology used to treat Tourette’s and featured in I Swear was designed and developed by the firm Neurotherapeutics Ltd – a company set up by researchers including those from the NIHR Nottingham BRC. Nottingham BRC has played a major role in enabling this research and its interventions along with the University of Nottingham.

The Neupulse device, worn by patient on their wrists, can be used to deliver median nerve stimulation to treat people with Tourette Syndrome or other co-occurring brain mental health conditions.

Professor Stephen Jackson, from the NIHR Nottingham BRC’s Mental Health & Technology Theme, who is also a founder and chief scientific officer for Neupulse, said:

“Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by unwanted vocalisations and movements known as tics and it represents an area of considerable unmet clinical need.

“We are delighted that the film I Swear – now a BAFTA awards winner – has highlighted the considerable struggles facing people living with Tourette to wider audience. The story of John Davidson, the lead character, is close to our own mission at Neupulse.”

He added: “New and effective, non-drug therapy solutions - such as our application of peripheral nerve stimulation - are to be welcomed for people who live with Tourette’s syndrome, to help them take control of their tics and their lives.

“This translational research has already shown its value, and we are very grateful to the BRC for funding the substantial amount of work undertaken by our research fellows under this programme.”

This research programme involves scientists from the University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology and School of Medicine using repetitive trains of electrical stimulation to the median nerve at the wrist.

Brain imaging and brain stimulation

So far, researchers have focused on brain imaging and brain stimulation to understand the mechanisms through which median nerve stimulation is effective. They are also investigating whether this approach is effective for highly co-occurring clinical conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorder.

At the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre and NIHR HealthTech Research Centre Mental Health (MindTech), NIHR support has also played a key role in developing ORBIT (Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics), a therapist-supported online treatment designed to help children and young people manage tics.

ORBIT provides evidence-based behavioural therapy remotely, improving access for families who might otherwise struggle to receive support. Greater visibility through films like 'I Swear' helps improve public understanding, reduce stigma, and highlight the importance of continued research.

Although the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Neupulse in draft guidance and conditionally recommended ORBIT, there is no nationally available NHS service to support people and their families with this condition.

The Nottingham BRC’s research and efforts at putting this research into practice is trying to change this situation in collaboration with other NIHR funded projects, including the current INTEND research programme evaluating care pathways for tics in children and young people across all ICBs in England.