NOTTINGHAM (Azat TV) – Young people living with Tourette’s syndrome have described transformative relief after testing a wrist-worn device developed by researchers at the University of Nottingham, according to a report published by the BBC on November 12, 2026. The device, named Neupulse, delivers electrical pulses to the median nerve at the wrist to help control tics. While users have praised its immediate calming effects, developers are still working to secure full regulatory approval and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance before potential adoption by the National Health Service (NHS).
Life-Changing Relief for Young Users
For 15-year-old Katie from Hertfordshire, who began experiencing severe tics at age seven, trying the device was described as “the best day of my life.” Her mother, Julia, noted that the relentless nature of the condition had previously left Katie bedridden with severe sore throats and affected her schooling. When the device was turned on, Katie experienced an instant calming effect and described the impact as life-changing. Similar accounts were shared by 15-year-old Ollie from Cheshire, who developed sudden involuntary movements that kept him out of school for months, and 17-year-old Mylo from Buckinghamshire, who participated in a 2023 clinical trial.
Development and Clinical Trial Background
The technology behind Neupulse stems from academic research led by Prof Stephen Jackson at the University of Nottingham. In a 2023 clinical trial involving 121 people in the UK, participants experienced an average reduction in tic frequency of 25% while using a prototype of the device. The singer Lewis Capaldi, who lives with Tourette’s, also tested the device prior to a live performance. The university’s spin-out company, Neurotherapeutics Ltd, has secured £1m in additional funding to commercialise the technology, with thousands of units reportedly sold so far.
Regulatory Status and Future NHS Outlook
According to the Tourettes Action charity, the technology is offered in two versions: Neupulse-C as a consumer wellness device, and Neupulse-M intended as a medical device for treating tics and Tourette’s syndrome. Neupulse-M is still undergoing the regulatory approval process. Prof Jackson stated that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provisionally evaluated the technology but requested further evidence of long-term benefits before recommending it for NHS adoption. Developers hope to secure regulatory approval and broader NHS consideration within the next year, while researchers are also exploring early trials for Parkinson’s disease and other conditions.