If you have Tourette syndrome, you make unusual movements or sounds, called tics. You have little or no control over them. Common tics are throat-clearing and blinking. You may repeat words, spin, or, rarely, blurt out swear words.
About one of every 100 people has Tourette syndrome. It often occurs with other problems, such as
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
The cause of Tourette syndrome is unknown. It is more common in boys than girls. The tics usually start in childhood and may be worst in the early teens. Many people eventually outgrow them.
No treatment is needed unless the tics interfere with everyday life. Excitement or worry can make tics worse. Calm, focused activities may make them better. Medicines and talk therapy may also help.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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Genetics Home Reference: Tourette syndrome
(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=tourettesyndrome
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Tourette Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/detail_tourette.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/sindrome_de_tourette.htm
- Tourette Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/tourette-syndrome/DS00541/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
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Tourette Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/tourette.htm
- Tourette Syndrome: Frequently Asked Questions(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/Medical/Faqs.html
- Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome(We Move) - http://www.wemove.org/ts/ts_tre.html
- Ticcing in Public: Eight Smart Ways to Deal with It(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/People/LivingWithTS/Ticcing_in_Public.htm
- Employment: Getting a Job and Keeping It(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/People/LivingWithTS/Employment.htm
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Stuttering and Tourette's Syndrome(Stuttering Foundation of America) - http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=440
Also available in Spanish http://www.stutteringhelp.org/default.aspx?tabindex=616&tabid=627
- Health Insurance Issues for Persons with Tourette Syndrome(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/People/LivingWithTS/Insurance.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Tourette Syndrome(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Tourette+Syndrome%22
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Genetics Home Reference: Tourette syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=tourettesyndrome
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Coprophenomena in Tourette syndrome. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19183216&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Developmentally regulated and evolutionarily conserved expression of SLITRK1 in brain... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19105198&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The diagnosis of Tourette's Syndrome: communication and impact. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19103702&tool=MedlinePlus
- Tourette Syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=tourette+syndrome[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Tourette Syndrome: A Glossary of Terms(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/Medical/glossary.html
- Find a Neurologist(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.2
- TSA Chapters in the USA(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/TSANatlLocal/Chapters/usachapters.html
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Tourette Syndrome Association - http://www.tsa-usa.org/
- We Move - http://www.wemove.org/
- Tourette Syndrome(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/brain/k_tourette.html
- Tourette Syndrome(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/tourette.html
- TSA for Young People(Tourette Syndrome Association) - http://www.tsa-usa.org/People/kids/kids.html
- Tourette Syndrome(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/brain_nervous/tourette.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Genetics/Birth Defects - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/geneticsbirthdefects.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Tourette Syndrome is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/