Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42085697›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2026

Closing the Gap to Interventions for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex-Associated Neuropsychiatric Disorders (TAND): Protocol for a Longitudinal Study of TAND Severity, Predictors, and Caregiver Well-Being (TANDem-2).

Petrus J de Vries, Nola Chambers, Erin Campbell, Lucas Gutierrez-Lafrentz, Tosca-Marie Heunis, Liezl Schlebusch, Guillaume Beaure d'Augères, Stacey Bissell, Anna Byars, Jamie Capal and 25 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06879665 (TANDem-2), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06879665 naenrolling by invitationnot on this map

TANDem-2: Closing the Gap to Interventions for TAND

TypeinterventionalSponsorVrije Universiteit BrusselRan2025 to 2027Enrolled30ConditionsAdult Caregivers of Individuals With TSC, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC)ArmsWell-Beans for Caregivers Program
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

35 authors.

Petrus J de VriesCentre for Autism Research in Africa, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-8915-1571
Nola ChambersCentre for Autism Research in Africa, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-7008-472X
Erin CampbellCentre for Autism Research in Africa, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0009-0002-5381-6401
Lucas Gutierrez-LafrentzDepartment of Philosophy, Faculty of Art, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID 0009-0009-8766-5622
Tosca-Marie HeunisMental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-7644-5231
Liezl SchlebuschCentre for Autism Research in Africa, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-5990-3114
Guillaume Beaure d'AugèresAssociation TSC Bourneville France, Angers, France.ORCID 0009-0005-1755-3597
Stacey BissellSchool of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0003-0701-3392
Anna ByarsDivision of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-3929-6107
Jamie CapalDivision of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-7579-375X
Laís CardozoDepartment of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-8674-4152
Sebastian CukierDepartment of Psychopathology and Mental Health, Hospital Pedro de Elizalde, Buenos Aires, Argentina.ORCID 0000-0002-1497-4709
Peter DavisDepartment of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-5796-6015
Naomi Beth EpsteinJapanese Society of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID 0009-0000-7613-3254
Carla FladrowskiAssociazione Sclerosi Tuberosa APS, ETS, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0009-0004-3057-6171
Jennifer FlinnTSC Canada, Mississauga, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7022-5457
Tanjala GipsonDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6903-743X
Sarah Louise GoyRare Disease Research UK, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0009-0009-0994-954X
John Christopher KingswoodDepartment of Clinical Genetics, St George's University Hospital, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-8794-9857
Darcy KruegerDepartment of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-7250-7391
Francesca LittleNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-5917-9928
Sugnet LubbeMuViSU (Centre for Multi-Dimensional Data Visualisation), Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-2762-9944
Rebecca MitchellClinical Neurosciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9783-3495
Micaela RozenbergEuropean Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Association, Wiesbaden, Germany.ORCID 0009-0008-7849-852X
Mustafa SahinDepartment of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-7044-2953
Mitchell SilvaEsperity, Brussels, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-4274-4238
Catherine SmithTSC Alliance, Silver Springs, MD, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6994-0362
Shoba SrivastavaCentre for Autism Research in Africa, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0009-0001-8995-5123
Megumi TakeiJapanese Society of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID 0009-0007-3202-3265
Agnies van EeghenEmma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8149-8645
Mary VasseghiTSC Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-7396-9301
Jan-Paul WagenaarStichting Tubereuze Sclerosis Nederland (STSN), Volendam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0003-7737-8482
Robert WaltereitLWL-University Hospital Hamm for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, Hamm, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5338-2765
Liesbeth De WaeleDepartment of Paediatric Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-7126-575X
Anna C JansenMental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-3835-2824

Funding

US Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) HT94252410790US Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) HT94252410791
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes. Apart from multisystem physical manifestations, most individuals with TSC experience TSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND). Little is known about how TAND severity changes over time and what factors may predict these changes. Preliminary data suggest the presence of differential TAND severity trajectories. Caregiver well-being may act as a mediator of TAND severity, and a well-being intervention designed for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities may improve caregiver well-being.

objectiveThe study aims are to (1) examine longitudinal trajectories of TAND severity in a large sample of individuals with TSC and to examine potential predictors of differential trajectories, (2) evaluate the association between caregiver well-being characteristics, TAND severity, and severity trajectories, and (3) adapt and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a brief, online group-based well-being intervention for family caregivers.

methodsFor the first 2 aims, 500 individuals with TSC or their caregivers will be recruited in an accelerated longitudinal design to document TAND severity at 5 time points over 12 months via a web-based app. At each time point, participants will complete demographic, TSC characteristics, intervention, and well-being questionnaires. Data will be analyzed using latent class mixed and multinomial regression modeling (aim 1) and structural equation and mediation modeling (aim 2). Participatory methods will be used to adapt an existing caregiver well-being intervention for the TSC community (aim 3). Thirty caregivers will be invited to participate in the adapted group-based online well-being intervention.

resultsThis study was funded from July 2024 (HT94252410790 and HT94252410791), and ethics approvals were obtained from the University of Cape Town (July 2024), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (November 2024), and the Department of Defense Office of Human Research Oversight (December 2024). The TAND Toolkit app was adapted for longitudinal data collection (aims 1 and 2). Recruitment started in December 2025 and will continue until 500 participants are enrolled (anticipated December 2026). Primary outputs are expected by July 2028. For aim 3, experiential and adaptation workshops were completed in June 2025, the pilot intervention was delivered in November 2025, and data collection will continue till May 2026. Outputs are expected by December 2026.

conclusionsIdentification of differential longitudinal TAND trajectories and their correlates will stimulate research in TSC and generate evidence for the self-report quantified TAND checklist as a clinical outcome measure. Understanding the association between caregiver well-being and TAND severity will provide support for targeted well-being interventions. A successful pilot trial will provide preliminary data for larger-scale clinical trials, with the potential to support caregivers and improve TAND outcomes. Together, the findings from the study will help close the gap in interventions for TAND.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06879665; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06879665. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/91726.

Indexed as

CaregiversMental DisordersTuberous SclerosisChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMalePsychological Well-BeingSeverity of Illness IndexSurveys and Questionnairescaregiver well-beingTANDTANDem-2 projectTAND severity trajectoriesTAND Toolkit appTSCTSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorderstuberous sclerosis complex

Identifiers

PMID42085697
PMCPMC13187705

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