Psychophysiological methods in the context of pharmacological and behavioral treatment approaches of Gilles-de-la-Tourette Syndrome

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Christian Beste; Professor Dr. Alexander Münchau; Professor Dr. Veit Roessner
• Subject Area: General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology ; Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 266882341

Goal of the intended project is to analyze the mode of action of pharmacological and behavioral therapeutic interventions in the treatment of Gilles-de-la-Tourette Syndrome (GTS) using psychophysiological methods. The primary evaluation relates to the analysis of action control processes using EEG techniques on the basis of computational basal ganglia models and the neurobiology of fronto-striatal circuits. As secondary parameters, inventories assessing the severeness of GTS and quality of life will be used and this data integrated with the psychophysiological data. Besides an applied focus of research pursued in this project, the project will also provide insights into cognitive functions in one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood and youth, which may be viewed as a disease-model of dopaminergic hyperfunction. Results of the study will therefore contribute to the understanding of the processes underlying treatment of GTS and to role of fronto-striatal circuits for cognitive control processes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants