Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is an inherited neurological condition that begins in childhood. Its key feature is tics – involuntary and uncontrollable sounds and movements.
Typically, the early symptoms of TS are noticed first in childhood, with the average onset between the ages of three and nine years, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Although the cause of TS is unknown, current research points to abnormalities in certain brain regions.
There are different degrees of the condition. Those at the milder end of the scale can have simple motor tics such as eye-blinking, grimacing and head or shoulder-jerking.
Simple vocalisations might include repetitive throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting sounds. At the other end of the scale, people can make more prominent noises or physical movements.
Complex motor tics might include grimacing combined with a twist of the head and a shoulder shrug. Other complex motor tics may actually appear purposeful, including sniffing or touching objects, hopping, jumping, bending, or twisting. Sometimes they can involve actions that self-harm.
Many famous people over the years have been found to have Tourette’s, including Mozart, the movie mogul Howard Hughes and the actor Dan Akroyd.
One of the stars of the Brazil World Cup, the US goalkeeper Tim Howard, has Tourette’s and claims that it has made him a better athlete. He says that Tourette’s speeds up his reflexes and makes him concentrate more on his movements.
jbell@thenational.ae
