World Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day

Tourette syndrome is a developmental neuropsychiatric disorder of familial nature. It is characterized by the appearance of motor tics (involuntary movements) that begin in childhood or adolescence. This feature was first described by the French neurologist Georges Gilles de la Tourette in 1885. In addition, the involuntary and repeated movements are accompanied by vowel and phonic sounds that can vary in intensity and frequency, as well as remain or reappear. They range from blinking, head jerking or throat clearing, to touching people or things, making obscene gestures or uttering insults (coprolalia). But it is less than 15 % of the cases those that present these last symptoms.

The tics are the visible part of the syndrome, because also in the great majority of the patients they are accompanied by other ailments like alterations of the mood, anxiety, depression or attention deficit, among others.

The Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day is commemorated on June 7 in honor of Dr. Mary Robertson, Neuropsychiatrist, author of more than 100 scientific articles on Tourette Syndrome, and her support to the association and her clinical work is rewarded.