Signs and symptoms
... The first symptom of Tourette syndrome is usually a facial tic, such as eye blinking. As many as 1 in 200 children develops tics that last only a few weeks or months and then stop. Tourette syndrome, ...

Causes
... The exact cause of Tourette syndrome is unknown, but it appears to be linked to the gene or genes that control the chemicals that carry signals from one brain cell to another. About a third of people ...

Risk factors
... A family history of Tourette syndrome or other tic disorders is the strongest risk factor. Many people with Tourette syndrome also have problems with: Obsessive compulsive disorder, an intense need to...

Screening and diagnosis
... There is no laboratory test to diagnose Tourette syndrome. Instead, doctors must rely on the history of the person''s symptoms. The main criterion for a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome is the presence ...