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Salvage, Jennifer R. A. (2023) Investigating Plasticity Differences in the Motor Area in Tourette’s Syndrome, using Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by motor and phonic tics, which have been linked to over excitability in the motor areas within the brain. The primary aim of this thesis was to investigate those with a diagnosis of TS and explore the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in these relevant motor areas. It is hypothesised that those with this developmental condition may have an altered pattern of plasticity in the brain areas related to motor movements, making this a key target in TS research using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS is a widely used non-invasive brain stimulation technique that can be used to investigate and modulate cortical excitability. In doing so, it can provide interesting insights about brain plasticity.

Previous work has examined the motor area in TS, but often with small sample sizes or alternative stimulation techniques. Three experimental designs were used in the course of this thesis, all with the aim of further understanding plasticity in the motor area and develop robust experimental designs that can be used in future work when larger sample sizes are accessible. In Chapter 3 and 4 a behavioural task, called the serial reaction time task, is introduced to examine habit learning, whilst concurrently taking measurements of excitability using TMS. This was followed by theta burst stimulation, a particular pattern of TMS, used as an extensive within-subjects investigation. Finally cortical motor mapping was used as another method of assessing plasticity changes. Chapter 4 was the first incorporation of a clinical sample. However, due to the unforeseen lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, this was the only instance where those with TS were able to participate. Consequently, the intended outcomes of this thesis were compromised as it prevented us from being able to establish any new conclusions about this population group. All subsequent experiments were also impacted by this, and instead these had to be treated as pilot studies, a means of testing the legitimacy of the experimental designs, or the control sample for the clinical population data that will be collected at a later date.

Finally, the conclusion summarises the data presented, discusses the potential of this research if it was possible to conducted in full, and looks ahead to what may be achieved in the future with the use of these experimental designs.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Jackson, Stephen Jackson, Georgina Dyke, Katherine
Keywords:	brain stimulation, Tourette syndrome, Tourette’s syndrome, motor cortex
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QP Physiology > QP351 Neurophysiology and neuropsychology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC 321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Science > School of Psychology
Item ID:	72025
Depositing User:	Salvage, Jennifer
Date Deposited:	15 Aug 2024 12:30
Last Modified:	15 Aug 2024 12:30
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/72025

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