Parent and self-report health-related quality of life measures in young patients with Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and comorbid behavioral problems. This study compared child- and parent-reported quality of life and everyday functioning. We assessed 75 children with Tourette syndrome, of which 42 (56%) had comorbid conditions (obsessive-compulsive disorder = 25; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder = 6; both comorbidities = 4). All patients completed psychometric instruments, including the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life Scale for Children and Adolescents (child report) and the Child Tourette's Syndrome Impairment Scale (parent report). Data were compared for patients with pure Tourette syndrome, Tourette syndrome + obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome + attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Tourette syndrome + both comorbidities. There were no group differences in quality of life. However, there were differences for total, school, and home activities impairment scores. Children and parents may not share similar views about the impact of Tourette syndrome on functioning. The measurement of health-related quality of life in Tourette syndrome is more complex in children than adults

The Life That Chose Us: Educators with Tourette Syndrome

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how having Tourette syndrome has shaped educators’ relationships in their personal and professional experiences. I completed a series of three in-depth interviews with seven educators in K-12 public schools who self-identify as an educator with Tourette syndrome. I began with a background of the participants’ experiences related to having Tourette syndrome. From there, I discussed participants’ experiences in regard to attaining and retaining employment. My guiding research questions were how having Tourette syndrome shapes relationships with administrators, colleagues, and students and their parents. Also, I asked how Tourette syndrome has shaped their own identity. Little current research examines the experiences of teachers with disabilities. As a seasoned teacher who has Tourette syndrome, I want to document the stories of others to develop maps for career success

Tourette Syndrome Research Highlights from 2017 [version 1; referees: 3 approved]

This is the fourth yearly article in the Tourette Syndrome Research Highlights series, summarizing research from 2017 relevant to Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders. The authors briefly summarize reports they consider most important or interesting. The highlights from 2018 article is being drafted on the Authorea online authoring platform, and readers are encouraged to add references or give feedback on our selections using the comments feature on that page. After the calendar year ends, the article is submitted as the annual update for the Tics collection on F1000Research

Health-related quality of life in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome at the transition between adolescence and adulthood

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by tics and comorbid behavioural problems, affecting predominantly male patients. Tic severity typically fluctuates over time, with a consistent pattern showing improvement after adolescence in a considerable proportion of patients. Both tics and behavioural co-morbidities have been shown to have the potential to affect patients’ health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in children and adults with persisting symptoms. In this study, we present the results of the first investigation of HR-QoL in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome at the transition between adolescence and adulthood using a disease-specific HR-QoL measure, the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life-Children and Adolescents scale. Our results showed that patients with GTS and more severe co-morbid anxiety symptoms reported lower HR-QoL across all domains, highlighting the impact of anxiety on patient’s well-being at a critical stage of development. Routine screening for anxiety symptoms is recommended in all patients with GTS seen at transition clinics from paediatric to adult care, to implement effective behavioural and pharmacological interventions as appropriate

Tourette syndrome research highlights from 2016 [version 1; referees: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

This article presents highlights chosen from research that appeared during 2016 on Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders. Selected articles felt to represent meaningful advances in the field are briefly summarized

Tourette syndrome research highlights 2015 [version 1; referees: 3 approved]

We present selected highlights from research that appeared during 2015 on Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders. Topics include phenomenology, comorbidities, developmental course, genetics, animal models, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, pharmacology, and treatment. We briefly summarize articles whose results we believe may lead to new treatments, additional research or modifications in current models of TS

Brain structure in pediatric Tourette syndrome

Previous studies of brain structure in Tourette syndrome (TS) have produced mixed results, and most had modest sample sizes. In the present multicenter study, we used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to compare 103 children and adolescents with TS to a well-matched group of 103 children without tics. We applied voxel-based morphometry methods to test gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume differences between diagnostic groups, accounting for MRI scanner and sequence, age, sex and total GM+WM volume. The TS group demonstrated lower WM volume bilaterally in orbital and medial prefrontal cortex, and greater GM volume in posterior thalamus, hypothalamus and midbrain. These results demonstrate evidence for abnormal brain structure in children and youth with TS, consistent with and extending previous findings, and they point to new target regions and avenues of study in TS. For example, as orbital cortex is reciprocally connected with hypothalamus, structural abnormalities in these regions may relate to abnormal decision making, reinforcement learning or somatic processing in TS