Activity in Tourette Syndrome

Enhancing Physical Activity in Children With Tics and Tourette Syndrome: Impact on Tic Severity and Quality of Life

Tics are brief repetitive movements or vocalizations. Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a disorder characterized by recurrent motor and vocal tics. Tourette syndrome and tic disorders affect up to 8% of children. Peak severity of tic disorders occurs between the ages of 8 to 12 years, therefore during childhood and adolescence the most significant impacts are felt. The quality of life of young people with tics is lower than their peers' and tic severity predicts lower quality of life. Studies have also shown negative social perception toward children with tics.

Approximately 50% of patients with Tourette syndrome will have other diagnoses including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression. Studies have shown improvements in ADHD with physical activity. ADHD and tic disorders are thought to involve the same areas of the brain; thus it is possible that tics might also improve with physical activity. However, no studies to date have examined this. The investigators predict that by implementing a motivational physical activity program, in conjunction with physical activity counseling, the investigators will be able to increase levels of physical activity in children with tics and Tourette syndrome, with a positive impact on tic severity.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Tourette Syndrome; Persistent Tic Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Physical Activity Counselling

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 14
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1H 7G2
      • Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 8 years to 16 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants are between 8-16 years of age.
• Participants are required to have a diagnosis of either Tourette Syndrome or Persistent (Chronic) Motor of Vocal Tic Disorder as per the DSM V.
• Participants must be ambulatory.
• Participants and parents must understand English or French.
• Participants must be able and willing to complete the questionnaires.
• Participants cannot have any changes to their medication for tics, or any other psychotropic medications for 4 weeks prior to and for the entire duration of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants who cannot ambulate independently.
• Participants who are not permitted to participate in physical education class at school.
• Participants or families who are not willing to be randomly assigned to a study group.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Activity Counselling; Physical Activity Counselling weekly for 8 weeks	Behavioral: Physical Activity Counselling; Physical Activity Counselling weekly for 8 weeks
No Intervention: Standard Care; Standard care with no change in medications for 8 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Decrease in Yale Global Tic Severity Scale.	8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in The Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome Quality of Life Scale for children and adolescents	8 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in PedsQL 4.0 measure	8 weeks
Change in KidScreen-27	8 weeks
Chang in The Children's Self-perceived Adequacy and Predilection for Physical Activity Questionnaire	8 Weeks
Change in step count via pedometer	8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Doja A, Bookwala A, Pohl D, Rossi-Ricci A, Barrowman N, Chan J, Longmuir PE. Relationship Between Physical Activity, Tic Severity and Quality of Life in Children with Tourette Syndrome. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2018 Nov;27(4):222-227. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: May 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 30, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 2, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): June 3, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): August 6, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 5, 2015
• Last Verified: August 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical Activity; Quality of Life; Tourette Syndrome; Persistent Tic Disorder
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Disease; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Movement Disorders; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Dyskinesias; Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Syndrome; Tourette Syndrome; Tic Disorders; Tics
• Other Study ID Numbers: 14/72X