Transcranial magnetic stimulation at 1 Hertz improves clinical symptoms in children with Tourette syndrome for at least 6 months

Tourette syndrome (TS) is characterized by multiple motor and phonic tics. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the supplemental motor area (SMA) can reduce tic severity. Here, we investigated whether 1 Hz rTMS targeted to the SMA could improve symptoms in children with TS. Twenty-five children with TS (aged under 16 years) received 20 daily sessions of rTMS to the SMA at a frequency of 1 Hz, 110% of resting motor threshold (RMT). Clinical assessment and physiological measures of the left and right RMT were conducted at different times during treatment and follow-up. After four weeks of treatment we observed statistically significant reductions on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale, Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Rating Scale, version IV for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Children’s Depression Inventory, Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale and a novel Attention Test. In addition, symptom improvement correlated with an increase of both right and left RMT and was stable at six months follow-up. Therefore, we found that 1 Hz rTMS to the SMA can improve clinical symptoms in children with TS for at least six months.