Tourette Syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental condition defined by multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic persisting over a year, typically beginning between ages 4 and 8 and often peaking in early adolescence before easing for many in adulthood. Tics are usually preceded by a premonitory urge - a build-up of tension relieved by performing the tic - which is the basis for behavioural treatment. Tics wax and wane, worsen with stress, excitement and fatigue, and can be suppressed briefly at the cost of rising discomfort. Coprolalia, the involuntary swearing widely associated with the condition in popular culture, occurs in only a minority. What most affects quality of life is often not the tics themselves but co-occurring ADHD, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and anxiety, which are present in a majority and are treatable. Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), which combines habit reversal with function-based strategies, has the strongest evidence and is recommended first-line; medications including alpha-2 agonists and antipsychotics are used where tics are disabling. Supplement evidence is very limited: small trials of omega-3 fats and magnesium exist but do not support routine use, and no supplement should delay proper neurological assessment.