Tourette syndrome and bipolar disorder: unique problems with pediatric comorbidity

Tourette syndrome and bipolar disorder are frequent comorbidities in pediatric age group. They provide a clinician with certain unique challenges. While on one hand the tics mask manifestation of affective symptomatology, the latter makes it difficult to elicit tics with certainty. Data suggest that they might share genetic and neurobiological basis and this is currently an area of extensive research. These clinical and biological overlaps provide grey areas in our understanding, which not only complicates the diagnosis, but also poses problems with management.