Tourette Syndrome Press Releases

The NINDS announced that four new members have joined its National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council: David M. Holtzman, M.D., David D. Ginty, Ph.D., Paul H. Gross, and Kevin St. P. McNaught, Ph.D. The council serves as the principal advisory body to NINDS regarding the institute’s research program planning and priorities.

Since the first case description in the 19th century, the causes of Tourette syndrome have been a mystery. Now researchers have identified a rare gene mutation responsible for the disorder in one family. The gene is needed for producing histamine, a small molecule with many roles in the body, including signaling in the brain.

A team of scientists has discovered the first gene mutation that may cause some cases of Tourette syndrome (TS), an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder known for involuntary muscle and vocal tics.

For decades, doctors who have treated children with both attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and tics have been warned not to prescribe methylphenidate (Ritalin), the most common drug for ADHD, because of a concern that it would make the tics worse. Now, the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of methylphenidate and another drug, clonidine (Catapres), has found that in fact these drugs do not adversely affect tics. The researchers also found that a combination of the drugs is more effective than either drug alone.
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