Our research into Tourette syndrome began in 2005, with early work exploring cognitive control over tics and brain network function. Using advanced brain imaging and stimulation techniques, we investigated how neuroplastic changes in brain structure, function, and chemistry might explain why tics remit in some individuals. A key collaboration with the UK charity Tourettes Action in 2009 highlighted the urgent need for safe, effective, non-drug therapies that could be used outside of clinical settings, shaping the direction of our future studies.

From this, we explored non-invasive brain stimulation methods that could modulate brain oscillations linked to movement suppression. While approaches such as transcranial magnetic stimulation showed promise, they were not practical for everyday or child-friendly use. This challenge led us to study rhythmic peripheral nerve stimulation as an alternative, supported by funding from the University of Nottingham, Tourettes Action, and the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre. These efforts culminated in the development of a novel therapeutic approach that now underpins our work at Neupulse.

A pivotal UK-wide double-blind clinical trial confirmed the potential of this therapy, showing that participants using active stimulation at home experienced a substantial reduction in tic severity and frequency. These results mark a breakthrough in creating a practical, safe, and effective non-drug treatment that individuals can administer independently. At Neupulse, we are building on this foundation, working to transform clinical research into a widely accessible medical device that redefines the therapeutic landscape for Tourette syndrome.

Barbara Morera Maiquez, Caitlin Smith, Katherine Dyke, Chia-Ping Chou, Belinda Kasbia, Ciara McCready, Hannah Wright, Jessica K. Jackson, Isabel Farr, Erika Badinger, Georgina M. Jackson, Stephen R. Jackson  
A double-blind, sham-controlled, trial of home-administered rhythmic 10-Hz median nerve stimulation for the reduction of tics, and suppression of the urge-to-tic, in individuals with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder
https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jnp.12313

Barbara Morera Maiquez, Georgina M. Jackson, Stephen R. Jackson (2021)
Examining the neural antecedents of tics in Tourette syndrome using electroencephalography. 
Journal of Neuropsychology
https://doi.org/10.1111/jnp.12245

Stephen R. Jackson, Hilmar P. Sigurdsson, Katherine Dyke, Maria Condon, Georgina M. Jackson (2021). 
The role of the cingulate cortex in the generation of motor tics and the experience of the premonitory urge-to-tic in Tourette syndrome. 
Journal of Neuropsychology, 15(3), 340-362.

Katherine Dyke, Georgina M. Jackson, Stephen R. Jackson (2021). 
Non-invasive brain stimulation as therapy: systematic review and recommendations with a focus on the treatment of Tourette syndrome. 
Experimental Brain Research. 10.1007/s00221-021-06229-y.

Mairi S. Houlgreave, Barbara Morera Maiquez, Matthew J. Brookes, Stephen R. Jackson (2022). 
The Oscillatory Effects of Rhythmic Median Nerve Stimulation. Neuroimage.

Hodkinson Duncan J, Jackson Stephen, Jung JeYoung (2022) 
Task-Dependent Plasticity in Distributed Neural Circuits after Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Human Motor Cortex. 
Neuroscience http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3988621 

Caitlin M. Smith, Hilmar P. Sigurdsson, Katherine Dyke, Rosa Sanchez Panchuelo, Susan T. Francis, Georgina M. Jackson, Stephen R. Jackson (2022). 
Somatomotor cortical mapping in Tourette syndrome using neuro-navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation. 
International Review of Movement Disorders, 2666-7878.

Mairi Houlgreave, Bàrbara Morera Maiquez, Katherine Dyke, Georgina Jackson, Stephen Jackson (2022)
Entrainment of movement-related brain oscillations to improve symptoms in Tourette syndrome. 
International Review of Movement Disorders, 2666-7878.
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