# Multimodal Profiling of Response to Pediatric Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2024 · $771,128

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall objective of this proposal is to conduct the first mechanistic clinical trial of pediatric Comprehensive
Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) to identify bio-behavioral predictors and correlates of response and the
most potent aspects of CBIT delivery. Chronic tics affect 1-3% of youth in the US and are a disabling
neuropsychiatric symptom associated with multiple childhood-onset mental disorders. CBIT is the current
first-line, gold-standard treatment for tics and focuses on skills to enhance voluntary tic suppression and
reduce tic triggers. However, about 50% of youth do not benefit from CBIT. The current study aims to use
multimodal measurements to identify predictors of response (for whom does CBIT work?), the therapeutic
processes that activate change (what are the potent aspects of CBIT delivery?), and correlates of response
(what changes occur in patients whose tics improve?). Study hypotheses, based on the literature and our
preliminary data, predict that CBIT relies upon, engages, and strengthens connectivity within and between
functional brain networks that support top-down control over motor functions. Youth ages 10-17 years with
chronic tics (N = 100) will complete a course of 8 outpatient, weekly sessions of CBIT and pre-, post-, and
3-month follow up assessments. Multimodal assessments will include: 1) neural measures of functional
connectivity among the brain's large-scale functional networks using fMRI and EEG during rest and tic
expression and suppression, 2) direct-observation behavioral measurement of tics, and 3) psychosocial
measures, including assessments of clinical symptoms and patient-centered outcome measures informed by
preliminary data and our Patient Advisory Board. CBIT process will be assessed via a novel video-based
behavioral coding of CBIT sessions. This project has the potential to directly benefit patients both immediately
and in the long-term. Results will have a downstream impact on clinical practice by informing individualized
treatment planning and efforts to streamline and improve CBIT quality. Results will also have an upstream
impact on treatment development by identifying novel neural targets for intervention and strategies for
improving CBIT outcomes via refinement or adjunctive procedures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10928268
- **Project number:** 5R01MH131645-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Christine A Conelea
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $771,128
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-12 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10928268

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10928268, Multimodal Profiling of Response to Pediatric Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (5R01MH131645-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10928268. Licensed CC0.

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