Tourette syndrome research in Europe has entered a new era of collaboration

Excerpt

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a fascinating disorder, being at the cross-roads of a neurological movement disorder and a neuropsychiatric disorder; in many cases, the movements and vocalizations are not entirely beyond a patient’s voluntary control and some of its features share similarities with the symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder and/or the stereotyped movements associated with autism spectrum disorder. An interesting feature is the often intricate link between the type and pattern of an affected individual’s tics with his or her environment. A classic example is that tics may be ‘contagious’: many persons with TS have had the experience at TS patient association meetings of a tendency to adopt tics they see in others. Also, many affected individuals can distinguish between situations that clearly tend to trigger their tics versus other situations in which they may be largely tic-free. The difference in presentation between the two settings can often be striking and this may confuse parents and teachers, leaving them sometimes wonder to what extent the so variable behavior should be seen as a ‘disorder’. That is exactly why explaining to families and school personnel the changing nature of tic symptoms over time and across settings as a hallmark of TS is such an important element of treatment. …