Tourette Syndrome Essay examples -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Tourette Syndrome Tourette syndrome is an inherited severe neurological disorder usually occurring before the age of eighteen and is associated with a degree of facial and body tics sometimes accompanied by random declarations of phrases or obscenities (2,3). The facial and body tics associated with the disorder can be painful and even embarrassing. Involuntary body movements such as jaw snapping, gyrating, hopping, and obscene gesturing are to name a few (1). Tourette Syndrome was named after a French neuropsychiatrist named Gilles de la Tourette who successfully assessed the disorder in the late 1800’s(3). Tourette Syndrome claims no specific race or ethnicity. The disorder generally can affect any ethnic group yet it does affect three to four times more males than it does females (3). Although just a mere decade ago Tourette Syndrome was frequently misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, Sydenham’s chorea, epilepsy, or nervous habits, its symptoms are now differentiated and specific case related. Tourette Syndrome is a case sensitive genetic disorder that varies from generation to generation. However, not everyone that carries the genetic make up of Tourette Syndrome will express those symptoms (1). Coined as the term autosomal dominate, when one parent is a carrier or expresses symptoms of having Tourette syndrome, there is a 50/50 chance the child will receive the gene from the parent (1,4). There are several behavioral and cognitive difficulties associated with the tics that many with Tourette Syndrome experience. Although Tourette Syndrome may present itself as a disorder of motor and vocal tics, it is much more complex. Commonly linked with Tourette Syndrome is attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity(A... ...r bodies just can’t control. While we think of behavior as a voluntary physical action, Tourette Syndrome reminds us that it is not. Without proper brain function our behavior can become totally involuntary and have a ‘mind’ of its own. Behavior is not a result of a physical bodily movement. Behavior may start in the brain and the type of behavior emitted is thus a result of the manner by which that brain functions. However it is also important to be opened minded and realize that sometimes our bodies can react without direct causation of the brain. Internet Sources: 1)htttp://www.mentalhealth.com/book/p40-gtor.html; Guide to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tourette Syndrome 2)Dictionary.com/tourette syndrome 3)http://www.tsa-usa.org/; Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc. 4)http://members.tripod.com/~tourette13/; The Facts About Tourette Syndrome