What Is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics.
How Common Is Tourette Syndrome?
It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of Tourette syndrome, and as many as 1 in 100 exhibit milder and less complex symptoms, such as chronic motor or vocal tics, as well as transient tics of childhood.
Tourette syndrome occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about three to four times more often than females.
Causes of Tourette Syndrome
The cause or causes of this condition are not known. However, attempting to find the causes is an active area of
Tourette syndrome research.
Is Tourette Syndrome Inherited?
Evidence from twin and family studies suggests that Tourette syndrome may be inherited, meaning it could be passed from parent to child. At this point, however, scientists are not able to say which specific chromosomes and genes are involved. They also think that the environment may play a role along with genetics.
It is important for families to understand that someone who is at risk for the condition may not necessarily develop full-blown Tourette syndrome. Instead, it may express itself as a milder tic disorder or as obsessive-compulsive behaviors. It is also possible that the gene-carrying offspring will not develop any symptoms of Tourette syndrome.
Early symptoms are almost always noticed first in childhood, with the average age of onset between 7 and 10 years. The most common symptoms are repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics.
Some of the more common tics a person with Tourette syndrome experiences include:
- Eye blinking and other vision irregularities
- Repetitive throat-clearing
- Sniffing
- Grunting sounds
- Facial grimacing
- Shoulder shrugging
- Head or shoulder jerking.
Other symptoms may include behavioral problems, such as:
(Click Tourette Syndrome Symptoms for more information.)
Diagnosing Tourette Syndrome
A diagnosis is made after verifying that the patient has had both motor and vocal tics for at least one year. The existence of other neurological or psychiatric conditions can also help doctors arrive at a diagnosis.
It is not uncommon, however, for patients to obtain a formal diagnosis only after symptoms have been present for some time. There are many reasons for this
(see Tourette Syndrome Diagnosis).
Treatment Options for Tourette Syndrome
Because tic symptoms do not often cause harm, the majority of people with Tourette syndrome require no medication for tic suppression. However, effective medications are available for those whose symptoms interfere with functioning. There is also medication that can be used for the treatment of behavioral conditions that can occur.
Keep in mind, however, that there is no one medication that is helpful for all people with the condition, nor does any medication completely eliminate symptoms of Tourette syndrome. In addition, all medications may have side effects.
Prognosis for Tourette Syndrome
Although Tourette syndrome is generally lifelong and chronic, it is not a degenerative condition. Individuals with the condition have a normal life expectancy, and the condition does not impair intelligence.
For many individuals, symptoms improve in the late teens and early 20s. As a result, some may actually become symptom-free or no longer need medication for tic suppression. While tic symptoms tend to decrease with age, it is possible that behavioral conditions, such as
depression,
panic attacks, mood swings, and antisocial behaviors, can persist and cause impairment in adult life.
History of Tourette Syndrome
Tourette syndrome is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the pioneering French neurologist who, in 1885, first described the condition in an 86-year-old French noblewoman.
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