Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Gilles-de-la-Tourette Syndrome in Childhood: Molecular, Neurobiological and Genetic Aspects

Stefan Bittmann

Asian Journal of Pediatric Research · pp. 8–17 · Published 27 Jul 2024

10.9734/ajpr/2024/v14i8376

Abstract

Animals often exhibit repetitive and predictable behaviors. These repetitive actions can be learned and become habits, which can be advantageous from an evolutionary standpoint as they reduce cognitive strain and attentional resources. Repetitive behaviors can also be intentional and conscious, occurring without habit formation, especially in normal child development or certain neuropsychiatric conditions. When these behaviors disrupt social interactions and daily functioning, they may be considered pathological. Conditions such as Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) can manifest as compulsive, stereotyped, and ritualistic behaviors. The dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways are believed to play an important role in the development of GTS. The striatum nucleus in the basal ganglia is believed to play a key role in regulating these repetitive behaviors through its connections with various areas of the cortex. However, the specific mechanisms within the striatum, including its organization, cellular functions, and connections, are still actively researched. At the cellular level, post-mortem studies have found a reduced number of parvalbumin-expressing and cholinergic interneurons. There is extensive evidence that the dopaminergic signal transmission in the striatum is disrupted. This work focus on an overview of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome with special focus on molecular aspects, treatment options and recent research with a focus on new targets to treat this rare hereditary disorder in childhood.

Tourette child treatment neuropsychiatric hereditary disorder

References (28)

  1. 1 Disruption of a Novel Gene (IMMP2L) by a Breakpoint in 7q31 Associated with Tourette Syndrome [DOI]
  2. 2 The Histamine H3 Receptor: Structure, Pharmacology, and Function [DOI]
  3. 3 Mapping dysfunctional circuits in the frontal cortex using deep brain stimulation [DOI]
  4. 4 Genome-wide analyses identify 30 loci associated with obsessive–compulsive disorder [DOI]
  5. 5 Comparative efficacy, tolerability, and acceptability of pharmacological interventions for the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults with Tourette's syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis [DOI]
  6. 6 Responsive deep brain stimulation for the treatment of Tourette syndrome [DOI]
  7. 7 Stereotactic Awake Basal Ganglia Electrophysiological Recording and Stimulation (SABERS): A Novel Staged Procedure for Personalized Targeting of Deep Brain Stimulation in Pediatric Movement and Neuropsychiatric Disorders [DOI]
  8. 8 Elevated Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Oxytocin in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder [DOI]
  9. 9 Genome-Wide Association Study Points to Novel Locus for Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome [DOI]
  10. 10 Efficacy of deep brain stimulation for Tourette syndrome and its comorbidities: A meta-analysis [DOI]
  11. 11 Comparison of children and adults in deep brain stimulation for Tourette Syndrome: a large-scale multicenter study of 102 cases with long-term follow-up [DOI]
  12. 12 Functional Tic-like Behaviors: From the COVID-19 Pandemic to the Post-Pandemic Era [DOI]
  13. 13 Cytokine expression profiles in children and adolescents with tic disorders [DOI]
  14. 14 Elevated Expression of SLC6A4 Encoding the Serotonin Transporter (SERT) in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome [DOI]
  15. 15 Thalamic deep brain stimulation for tourette syndrome increases cortical beta activity [DOI]
  16. 16 Adult-specific Reelin expression alters striatal neuronal organization: implications for neuropsychiatric disorders [DOI]
  17. 17 Sleep Disturbance in Tourette’s Disorder: Potential Underlying Mechanisms [DOI]
  18. 18 The effects of Shaoma Zhijing granules and its main components on Tourette syndrome [DOI]
  19. 19 Georges Gilles de la Tourette (1857–1904) [DOI]
  20. 20 French guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Tourette syndrome [DOI]
  21. 21 Copy Number Variations in Children with Tourette Syndrome: Systematic Investigation in a Clinical Setting [DOI]
  22. 22 Surgical Concepts and Long-term Outcomes of Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation in Patients with Severe Tourette Syndrome: A Single-center Experience [DOI]
  23. 23 Clonidine Patch for Tourette Syndrome With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [DOI]
  24. 24 Genetic Dysruption of the Histaminergic Pathways: A Novel Deletion at the 15q21.2 locus Associated with Variable Expressivity of Neuropsychiatric Disorders [DOI]
  25. 25 Transcranial sonography of subcortical structures in tic/tourette disorder [DOI]
  26. 26 ‘Study of several involuntary functions of the apparatus of movement, gripping, and voice’ [DOI]
  27. 27 Treatment refractory Tourette syndrome in adolescents: Assessment and application of deep brain stimulation [DOI]
  28. 28 Sex Differences in People with Tourette Syndrome and Persistent Motor or Vocal Tic Disorder in the Tourette Association of America International Consortium for Genetics Database [DOI]

Cited by 0

No indexed citations yet.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

56

Page views

0

PDF downloads

25

Outbound clicks

0

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.