Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped,

Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics.

The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, a French neurologist who in 1885 first described the condition in an 86-year-old French noblewoman.

The early symptoms of TS are almost always noticed first in childhood, with the average onset between the ages of 7 and 10. TS occurs in people from all ethnic groups; men are affected about three to four times more often than women.

It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of TS, and as many as one in 100 exhibit milder and less complex symptoms, such as chronic motor or vocal tics or transient tics of childhood.

Although TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the condition experience their worst symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood.

Among the famous adults with Tourette syndrome are Jim Eisenreich, a former professional baseball player, and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, a former professional basketball player.

Sources and for more information:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette

Tourette Syndrome Association: www.tsa-usa.org/index.html