Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Psychiatry Res 2022 Jun 14;314:114684. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Child Development and Disability Branch, Division of Human Development and Disability, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Estimates of the number of people in the U.S. with Tourette syndrome or other persistent tic disorders can inform service provision planning. Read More

J Integr Neurosci 2022 May;21(3):97

Department of Psychiatry, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children Healthy, 100101 Beijing, China.

Background: Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that can effectively relieve obsessive-compulsive symptoms and tic symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome (TS). However, the effect size of ERP-based therapy is still unclear.

Methods: In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to identify the efficacy of ERP-based therapy for individuals with OCD and TS. Read More

J Integr Neurosci 2022 May;21(3):89

School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University Australia, 2113 Sydney, Australia.

Background: Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by motor and vocal tics. While Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (CBIT) is an effective, non-pharmacological treatment for patients with GTS, the underlying neurophysiological basis of this intervention has not been investigated.

Methods: To investigate the clinical effectiveness of CBIT in reducing tic severity in young people with GTS and explore neurophysiological mechanisms associated with clinical change. Read More

J Neurol 2022 May 14. Epub 2022 May 14.

Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Background: Dystonic tics differ from clonic tics by their slower and more sustained nature. Dystonic tics are often present in patients with Tourette syndrome (TS) and other tic-disorders. However, their phenomenology and impact on overall impairment have not been extensively studied. Read More

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2022 Apr 13. Epub 2022 Apr 13.

UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), 30 Guilford Street, London, UK.

To understand how children and young people with tic disorders were affected by COVID-19, we compared pre and during pandemic scores on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS). Participants were young people (N = 112; male:78%; 9-17 years) randomised to the control arm of the "ORBIT-Trial" (ISRCTN70758207, ClinicalTrials.gov-NCT03483493). Read More

Acta Neurol Belg 2022 Apr 10. Epub 2022 Apr 10.

Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Background: Oculogyric tics are identified in a substantial proportion of patients with Tourette syndrome (TS) and related tic-disorders. Nevertheless, studies assessing its frequency and clinical correlations are lacking.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed video-recordings and clinical history of 201 patients with TS and chronic motor/phonic tic disorder, diagnosed according to DSM-5. Read More

Prog Brain Res 2022 12;270(1):61-96. Epub 2022 Feb 12.

Functional Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; Department of Neurosurgery, M Cecilia Hospital-GVM, Ravenna, Italy.

Nowadays, most of patients affected by psychiatric disorders are successfully treated with conservative therapies. Still, a variable percentage of them demonstrate resistance to conventional treatments, and alternative methods can then be considered. During the last 20 years, there is a progressive interest in use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in mental illnesses. Read More

Cureus 2022 Feb 21;14(2):e22449. Epub 2022 Feb 21.

Department of Research, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA.

Tourette's Syndrome (TS), in which patients have sudden, repeated, involuntary twitches and movements, called tics, is a condition of the nervous system. They can be motor, vocal, simple, or complex tics. It can be physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially distressing and challenging for those suffering from it. Read More

Neurol Res Int 2022 28;2022:3018305. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Tourette's syndrome (TS), a chronic, often disabling neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics, is frequently misdiagnosed, or patients are delayed in diagnosis. There is severe deficiency of research about Tourette's syndrome (TS) in the Middle East region.

Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge and attitude of medical students and primary care physicians (PCPs) about TS and tic disorders. Read More

Brain Sci 2022 Feb 10;12(2). Epub 2022 Feb 10.

Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.

Tics can be associated with neurological disorders and are thought to be the result of dysfunctional basal ganglia pathways. In Tourette Syndrome (TS), excess dopamine in the striatum is thought to excite the thalamo-cortical circuits, producing tics. When external stressors activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, more dopamine is produced, furthering the excitation of tic-producing pathways. Read More

J Mov Disord 2022 Jan 25;15(1):43-52. Epub 2022 Jan 25.

Clinic of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.

Objective: In patients with Tourette syndrome and other primary tic disorders (PTDs), tics are typically preceded by premonitory urges (PUs). To date, only a few studies have investigated the location and frequency of PUs, and contrary to clinical experience, the results suggest that PUs are not located in the same anatomic region as the tics. This study aimed to further explore PU location and frequency in detail, differentiating the kind and complexity of the corresponding tics, in a large sample of patients with PTD. Read More

Brain Behav 2022 03 3;12(3):e2511. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Department of Medical Cenetics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

Tourette syndrome (TS) is caused by complex genetic and environmental factors and is characterized by tics. Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) mutation is a rare genetic cause with high penetrance in patients with TS. HDC-knockout (KO) mice have similar behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities as patients with TS. Read More

Cortex 2022 02 29;147:157-168. Epub 2021 Dec 29.

Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address:

Tourette syndrome (TS) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occur, especially in children. Reduced inhibitory control abilities have been suggested as a shared phenotype across both conditions but its neural underpinnings remain unclear. Here, we tested the behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of inhibitory control in children with TS, ADHD, TS+ADHD, and typically developing controls (TDC). Read More

Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 2022 Jan 12;90(1-02):60-62. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

Universitätsklinik Ulm, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie III, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Deutschland.

We present a case of a 23-year-old male Caucasian patient admitted to the emergency department because of an acute onset of difficulty of articulation, weakness of the left arm, throat- and neck pain. An emergency CT & MRI of the brain showed no abnormalities. The Patient had started visiting a new neurologist three weeks before admission and received Sulpiride against Tourette syndrome (TS) in a rapid escalation manner over a short period. Read More

Compr Psychiatry 2022 02 17;113:152291. Epub 2021 Dec 17.

Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States. Electronic address:

Background: Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) refers to excessively intense and/or prolonged behavioral responses to environmental stimuli typically perceived as non-aversive. SOR is prevalent in several neurodevelopmental disorders, including chronic tic disorders (CTDs) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Few studies have examined the extent and clinical correlates of SOR across disorders, limiting insights into the phenomenon's transdiagnostic clinical and biological relevance. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2021 Dec 9;9(12):e05204. Epub 2021 Dec 9.

Functional Neurosurgery Research Center Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran.

A 32-year-old gentleman with refractory Gilles de la Tourette syndrome went on a DBS procedure on anteromedial globus pallidus internus. At the most suitable adjustment, the OCD component of his disease improved almost completely while his tics remained unchanged which was in contrast with other previous studies. Moreover, variations in symptoms were seen in response to different adjustments. Read More

Pharmacopsychiatry 2022 May 30;55(3):148-156. Epub 2021 Nov 30.

Clinical Research Center Core Facility, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Introduction: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by chronic motor and vocal tics. While consistently effective treatment is lacking, evidence indicates that the modulation of endocannabinoid system is potentially beneficial. Lu AG06466 (previously ABX-1431) is a highly selective inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase, the primary enzyme responsible for the degradation of the endocannabinoid ligand 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Read More

J Psychiatr Res 2022 02 9;146:297-303. Epub 2021 Nov 9.

Kennedy Center, Department of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address:

Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and multiple comorbidities. The pathophysiology is not yet fully understood, but both environmental and genetic risk factors seem to be involved. Twin studies provide important knowledge on genetic factors. Read More

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022 Mar 10;31(3):425-441. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

In 2011, the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome (ESSTS) published the first European guidelines for Tourette Syndrome (TS). We now present an update of the part on pharmacological treatment, based on a review of new literature with special attention to other evidence-based guidelines, meta-analyses, and randomized double-blinded studies. Moreover, our revision took into consideration results of a recent survey on treatment preferences conducted among ESSTS experts. Read More

Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y) 2021 28;11:43. Epub 2021 Oct 28.

Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.

Background: Tic disorders belong to the broad spectrum of pediatric and adult movement disorders. The wide variability in clinical presentations, applied assessment tools, and treatments are poorly understood.

Objectives: To map practices and knowledge base of movement disorder clinicians concerning clinical features, pathophysiology, and treatment approaches in tic disorders. Read More

Neurol Neurochir Pol 2022 28;56(1):28-38. Epub 2021 Oct 28.

Clinic of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany.

Introduction: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a childhood onset disorder characterised by the presence of motor and vocal tics. The guidelines of both the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) as well as the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome (ESSTS) recommend behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy, mainly with antipsychotics, as first line treatments for tics. In spite of these well-established therapeutic approaches, a significant number of patients are dissatisfied because of insufficient tic reduction or intolerable side effects. Read More

Mov Disord 2022 02 24;37(2):392-400. Epub 2021 Oct 24.

Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: Insomnia is common in Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorder (CTD), but precise prevalence estimates are lacking.

Objective: In this Swedish register-based cohort study, we estimated the prevalence of insomnia in TS/CTD and quantified the magnitude of this association, accounting for familial confounders and relevant somatic and psychiatric comorbidities.

Methods: Of 10,444,702 individuals living in Sweden during the period from 1997 to 2013, 5877 had a diagnosis of TS/CTD and were compared to unexposed individuals from the general population on the presence of insomnia using logistic regression models. Read More

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022 Mar 18;31(3):383-402. Epub 2021 Oct 18.

Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, Rijks Universiteit Groningen, GGZ Drenthe Mental Health Institution, Hanzeplein 1, Assen, 9713, Groningen, The Netherlands.

In 2011 a working group of the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome (ESSTS) has developed the first European assessment guidelines for Tourette syndrome (TS). Now, we present an updated version 2.0 of these European clinical guidelines for Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders, part I: assessment. Read More

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022 03 18;31(3):375-376. Epub 2021 Oct 18.

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

JAMA Netw Open 2021 10 1;4(10):e2129397. Epub 2021 Oct 1.

Teva Pharmaceuticals, Netanya, Israel.

Importance: Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by childhood onset of motor and phonic tics, often accompanied by behavioral and psychiatric comorbidities. Deutetrabenazine is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor approved in the US for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington disease and tardive dyskinesia.

Objective: To report results of the ARTISTS 2 (Alternatives for Reducing Tics in Tourette Syndrome 2) study examining deutetrabenazine for treatment of Tourette syndrome. Read More

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022 Mar 4;31(3):443-461. Epub 2021 Oct 4.

Clinic of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

In 2011 the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome (ESSTS) published its first European clinical guidelines for the treatment of Tourette Syndrome (TS) with part IV on deep brain stimulation (DBS). Here, we present a revised version of these guidelines with updated recommendations based on the current literature covering the last decade as well as a survey among ESSTS experts. Currently, data from the International Tourette DBS Registry and Database, two meta-analyses, and eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are available. Read More

J Neurol 2022 May 1;269(5):2453-2459. Epub 2021 Oct 1.

Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Introduction: Tourette syndrome (TS) is characterized by the presence of motor and phonic tics, as well as a variety of behavioral co-morbidities. Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is one of the most serious manifestations of TS, but its pathophysiology is poorly understood.

Methods: Consecutive patients with TS studied in a tertiary care center. Read More

J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2022 03 15;74:101692. Epub 2021 Sep 15.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Background And Objectives: Behavioral therapies such as the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) are recommended as the first-line treatment for Tourette's Disorder. This treatment approach is comprised of three central components: habit reversal training, functional assessment/intervention, and relaxation training. Despite its combined efficacy, the contribution of each therapeutic component in CBIT for reducing tic severity remains undetermined. Read More

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022 Mar;31(3):471

Neuro-diverse.org, 6941, Liege, Belgium.

J Psychiatr Res 2021 11 4;143:451-461. Epub 2021 Aug 4.

Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, PR China. Electronic address:

Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by high comorbidity. Treatment with psychotherapy is highly recommended, however, there exists limited available evidence on the use and the optimal psychotherapeutic outcome is debatable. We performed a systematic search on several bibliographic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the use of psychotherapy treatment in TS patients, from inception to August 1st, 2020, and without language restrictions. Read More