What Is Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette syndrome is characterized by nervous tics. It is at increased risk for anxiety and depression, and is often associated with obsessive disorders.
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (or Tourette syndrome for short) is a well-known disorder that has always been a source of ridicule and humor. However, it is a very disabling and discriminatory pathology for those who suffer from it.
Tourette syndrome consists of the production of repeated movements and sounds that cannot be controlled. They are motor and vocal tics that appear due to a lesion of the nervous system. It usually appears during childhood, most frequently between the ages of five and nine.
This pathology was described relatively recently, around the eighties. It is estimated that it affects between 1 and 3% of the population. The mechanisms by which this disorder appears are still not well understood, although it is known that it has to do with genetics.
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is more than a nervous disorder, since it affects all aspects of the life of those who suffer from it, especially the social plane. Therefore, in this article we explain everything you need to know about this disorder.
What is Tourette syndrome?
Most people know Tourette syndrome as a condition that causes these people to insult others uncontrollably. However, this is only one of the possible manifestations of this syndrome.
People with Tourettes experience tics that they cannot control. They can be repetitive movements, sounds, or words. Insults come within this. Another very typical example is the gesture of continually shrugging the shoulders.
Most of the cases are in males. Symptoms usually appear before the age of fifteen. In fact, the highest number of cases is expressed for the first time around the age of six. Tics can be more or less complex and appear with different frequency.
Some examples of simple tics are:
- Blink a lot
- Twist your nose
- Cough
- Repeated throat clearing
- Repeat phrases
- Make obscene gestures and insult
It is important to know that, throughout life, tics can change. There are even situations in which they are aggravated. For example when the person is under stress or very tired. The normal thing is that they improve as they become adults.
Another relevant aspect is the fact that Tourette syndrome can be associated with other pathologies. These people often suffer from attention deficit and impulsivity disorder. In addition, there is usually a family history of obsessive disorders or the same syndrome.