BackgroundTourette syndrome (TS) is a developmental neuropsychiatric disorder. Behavior therapy, especially habit reversal training (HRT), has gradually become regarded as one of the core therapies for TS. Mindfulness approaches can improve psychological adjustment and reduce stress and anxiety, suggesting potential benefits when incorporated into behavior therapy. To improve the efficacy of HRT, we combined it with mindfulness, an approach named mindfulness-based habitual reversal training (MHRT). The aim of this protocol is to investigate the efficacy and neural mechanisms of MHRT for TS.Methods/designWe will perform a randomized control trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy and neural mechanisms of MHRT. The sample will include 160 participants (including 120 patients with TS and 40 healthy controls). The patient sample will be randomly divided into three groups exposed to three different types of training: MHRT, HRT, and psychoeducation and supportive therapy (PST). Participants will be assessed and undergo resting-state fMRI scans at baseline and at the end of the 12-week training. The Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) and Premonitory Urge for Tic Scale (PUTS) will be used to assess the severity of tic symptoms and premonitory urges. The primary outcomes are change scores on the YGTSS and other assessments from baseline and the end of the training. The secondary outcomes are the neural correlates of these trainings among these groups based on graph theory, which is used to characterize brain functional connectivity networks. The default mode network (DMN) and the salience network (SN) will be assessed (which have been associated with mindfulness as well as the generation of tic symptoms) by network parameters, including clustering coefficients and shortest path lengths. Changes in these network parameters will be regarded as the neural correlates of the behavioral training.DiscussionMHRT was newly developed for the treatment of TS. MHRT may lead to greater reductions in tic severity than traditional HRT. Changes in the network parameters of the DMN and SN may show associations with the efficacy of MHRT.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100053077, China.
We previously reported the cure of human type 2 diabetes (T2D) via transplantations of directly-generated human pluripotent stem-like cells (dgHPSCs) overexpressing human insulin (INS) and estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ) genes. Our strategy not only can completely replace the daily insulin injections of the patients, but also can potentially repair the complications of T2D patients. Here, we reported the cure of another patient case with similar treatments. This patient treated his T2D by daily taking Gliclazide Modified Release Tablets and Acarbose Tablets. After 19 times of transplantations of dgHPSCs, he stopped taking the medications completely, and his glucose levels were remained around normal levels during the past more than three years. In addition, the patient’s liver function was also improved obviously. Therefore, this investigation is another vivid example for the cure of human T2D with our strategy
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.