PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review considers the recent literature pertaining to the neurobiology, genetics and treatment of Tourette syndrome. RECENT FINDINGS Over the last several years, both neuropathological and genetic findings have further focused attention on long-standing hypotheses regarding the role of the basal ganglia in causing tics and Tourette syndrome. Moreover, although the field ...

OBJECTIVE This case series examines the practicality of using a standardized method of training children in self-hypnosis (SH) methods to explore its efficiency and short-term efficacy in treating tics in patients with Tourette syndrome. METHODS The files of 37 children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome referred for SH training were reviewed, yielding 33 patients for analysis. As part of...

There is accumulating evidence that immune dysregulation contributes to the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette syndrome, and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). The mechanistic details of this pathophysiology, however, remain unclear. Here we focus on one particular component of the immune system: micro...

Introduction: Tics disorders and Tourette syndrome are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Currently, a vast number of behavioural, pharmacological and surgical treatments are available. Methods: Relevant and recent articles about clinical features, neurobiology and treatment of tic disorders and Tourette syndrome were reviewed and summarized. Results: Tic disorders and Tourette syndrome...

A 31-year-old single man (AB) sought neuropsychiatric consultation for treatment-resistant motor and vocal tics. He described himself expressing a total of 24 different tics, mainly facial twitches (eye blinking, raising eyebrows, mouth opening , lips licking, stereotyped grimacing) and inappropriate utterances (grunting, throat clearing, sniffi ng), since the age of 7. There appeared to be no ...

OBJECTIVE This review considers the impact of chromosomal studies on the understanding of childhood neuropsychiatric syndromes, highlighting key discoveries, advances in technology, and new challenges faced by clinicians trying to interpret recent findings. METHOD We review the literature on the genetics of child psychiatric disorders, including autism, childhood-onset schizophrenia, attentio...

This article presents highlights chosen from research that appeared during 2016 on Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders. Selected articles felt to represent meaningful advances in the field are briefly summarized.

BACKGROUND Complex motor stereotypies are rhythmic, repetitive, fixed, and purposeless movements that stop with distraction. Once believed to occur only in children with autism spectrum or other developmental disorders, their presence in otherwise typically developing children (primary) has been well-established. In primary complex motor stereotypies, little information is available about the l...

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a childhood onset disorder of motor and vocal tics. The neural networks underlying TS overlap with those of saccade eye movements. Thus, deviations on saccadic tasks can provide important information about psychopathology of TS. Tourette syndrome often coexists with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Hence, we manip...

BACKGROUND Tourette syndrome (TS) has been described as peaking in adolescence with subsequent regression. We report patients who were diagnosed with TS during childhood who experienced a latent period (significant reduction in or absence of tics) followed by tic re-emergence in adulthood. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of outpatients over age 21 seen at the Yale neurology ...