Sex Differences in Natural History and Health Outcomes Among Individuals With Tic Disorders

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Tourette syndrome (TS) and Persistent Motor or Vocal Tic Disorders (PMVT) are complex neurodevelopmental conditions.
• Understanding sex-based differences in TS and PMVT is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
• Previous research suggests potential sex disparities in tic disorder presentation and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex differences in clinical outcomes for individuals with Tourette syndrome (TS) and Persistent Motor or Vocal Tic Disorders (PMVT).
• To analyze diagnostic patterns, age at onset, age at diagnosis, time to diagnosis, and tic severity in relation to sex within the TAAICG dataset.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 2,403 participants in the Tourette Association of America International Consortium for Genetics (TAAICG) dataset.
• Employed generalized estimating equation regression models to explore the relationship between sex and clinical measures.
• Adjusted analyses for age and familial relationships to account for potential confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Female participants with TS showed lower odds of prior clinical diagnosis, later age at symptom onset (6.5 vs 6.0 years), later age at diagnosis (13.3 vs 10.7 years), longer time to diagnosis, and reduced tic severity compared to males.
• Female participants with PMVT exhibited an earlier age at symptom onset (7.9 vs 8.9 years) compared to males.
• Significant differences were observed across multiple clinical measures, highlighting distinct patterns between sexes in both TS and PMVT.

Conclusions:

• Females with TS are less likely to receive a formal diagnosis, experience a later onset and diagnosis, and have a longer diagnostic journey.
• Females with PMVT present with an earlier age of symptom onset.
• Longitudinal studies are essential to further elucidate the sex-based differences in the trajectory of TS and PMVT.