Tourette Syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder that affects the brain and nerves. TS causes a person to make sudden movements or sounds called “tics.” Tics are involuntary, so you can’t control or prevent them. Motor tics involve body movements, like shoulder shrugging. Vocal tics involve the voice, like throat clearing. Motor tics tend to develop before vocal tics.

Tourette syndrome, or Tourette’s, usually develops in early childhood. It often improves as you become an adult. TS is the most severe type of tic disorder.

How common is Tourette syndrome?

About one in 100 children have some form of tic disorder. Tourette syndrome is less common. It affects about one out of 160 children.

Is Tourette’s the only tic disorder?

Tourette syndrome is the most severe tic disorder, but there are other types. Your healthcare provider will use your symptoms to determine what kind of tic disorder you have.

Tic disorders include:

• Provisional tic disorder: Motor or vocal tics (one or both) for less than one year.
• Persistent (chronic) tic disorder: Motor or vocal tics (not both) for more than one year.
• Tourette syndrome: Motor and vocal tics (both) for more than one year.