Definition
The diagnostic criteria used to define Tourette’s syndrome today still correspond for the most part with the original description made by Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette in 1885.
Tourette’s syndrome (TS) occurs during childhood or adolescence and is essentially characterized by the presence of multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic that recur on a daily basis.
Development
The development of TS is similar for most affected people. It most often manifests before puberty, and it is six times more common among boys than girls.
Motor tics typically appear between the ages of three to eight, prior to vocal tics. The latter most often occur around the age of ten, at the time when the severity of tics usually reaches its peak.
The intensity of tics may decrease markedly at the end of adolescence. Around one-third of adults report having almost no more tics. However, symptoms persist into adulthood in about 11% of cases. For the latter group, the chronic nature of their tics represents a significant handicap, especially in combination with associated disorders.
Associated Disorders
Apart from motor tics, people with TS often suffer from sleeping problems, learning disorders, impulsivity and anxiety.
It is estimated that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are part of TS patients’ clinical profile in 30% to 50% of cases.