Tourettes

Syndrome
By: ALyssa Pekarek and Jacob Skytte
WHat is Tourette's
Syndrome?
-A neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tics and
vocalizations and often the compulsive utterance of obscenities.
-It is kinda like a sneeze, there is no control over it or when it
happens.
What are some theories?
-One theory suggests excessive levels of a naturally occurring
chemical called dopamine, which can have powerful effects on the
brain, could be responsible. Alternatively, the dopamine levels
could be normal in people with Tourette's syndrome, but they may
be particularly sensitive to its effects.
Video:
https://youtu.be/C94URVo7jzM
Case Study: Tourettes Syndrome

Jason is ten years old. He appears to have normal ability and enjoys class and the company of his peers. He does
however, find it very hard to stay quiet for more than a few minutes. He frequently interrupts the teacher by making
strange noises or gestures which the other children find amusing. His class teacher finds this behaviour most
annoying, has frequently rebuked him for this but to no effect. She has recently begun to keep a notebook of his
behaviour. One of the targets she has set him in class is to be able to sit quiet and still for at least 15 minutes each
hour. She feels that Jasons behaviour problems are sufficient to have him labelled as having emotional and
behavioural problems and therefore he may need statemented.

Jasons mother has tried to explain that his problems are due to Tourettes Syndrome and that Jason is not
deliberately disrupting the class. She is concerned that he is now coming home from school distressed and unhappy
and is reluctant to go in the morning and is trying to convince the school that all he needs is the opportunity to have
a few minutes time out when he feels the compulsion to have a tic.
Are there Treatments?
-In reality there is no cure, just medication to control the symptoms.
-Most of the time people take some sort of antidepressants to help
with sadness, anxiety, or OCD.
Famous People With
Tourettes Syndrome
Michael Wolff- Jazz Musician
David Beckham- U.S. Soccer player
Dan Aykroyd- Actor(Ghostbuster)
What part of the Brain is
affected?
Brain regions thought to be affected in Tourette's include: the
frontal lobes. the basal ganglia islands of grey matter in the core
of the brain which are important for accurate control of
movement.
Statistics:
-Disease Control and Prevention study found that 1 of every 360
(0.3%) children 6 17 years of age in the United States have been
diagnosed with TS based on parent report; this is about
138,000children.
-Boys are three to five times more likely to have TS than girls.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/data.html
http://scotens.org/jason-has-tourettes-syndrome-he-can
not-sit-quiet-and-still-for-even-a-few-minutes/
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/tourette-s-syndrom
e?s=t