[Tourette's syndrome - a review]

Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by the occurrence of chronic motor and vocal tics that usually begin in childhood. A prevalence of 4-5/10.000 individuals is estimated. Tourette's syndrome patients frequently show comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and affective disorders. Some forms of OCD seem to share a common genetic etiology with TS and to be a facultative part of the TS phenotypic spectrum. Based on MRI, positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), data alterations in the cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical functional systems have been discussed. Within these systems, dopaminergic neurotransmission is thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of TS. Autoimmunological mechanisms seem to be important in some subtypes of TS and OCD that are triggered or exacerbated by infections with hemolytic streptococci. In these cases, immune modulatory therapy proved to be efficient. To date, there is no established treatment regimen for TS. The medications used most frequently are antipsychotics.