Clinic: 636-949-5760 | Research: 636-946-8032 | 4801 Weldon Spring Pkwy, Ste. 300, St. Charles, MO 63304

Tourette’s Syndrome

Participate in a Study

To have your child be considered for a Tourette’s research study, please complete the following information:

What’s in it for me?

There are several reasons people participate in clinical research:

  • Gain access to treatments before they are publicly available
  • Obtain a psychiatric evaluation and physical exam at no cost
  • Help others by contributing to medical research
  • Available medications are not helping to relieve symptoms
  • No cost medications
  • Possibility of experiencing less side effects than current treatment
  • No cost to you – no insurance is needed to participate
  • Receive compensation for time and travel (can vary from hundreds to thousands of dollars)

Tourette’s Syndrome Overview

Individuals with Tourette Syndrome (TS) have had at least two motor tics and at least one vocal/ phonic tic in some combination over the course of more than a year. Tics are involuntary, repetitive movements and vocalizations that usually emerge between the ages of 5-7 years. They tend to increase in frequency and severity between the ages of 8-12 years. Most people with TS show noticeable improvement in late adolescence, with some becoming tic-free. The current estimates are that 1 out of every 160 children between the ages of 5-17 in the United States has TS. TS affects all races, ethnic groups, and ages but is 3 to 4 times more common in boys than in girls. The cause still remains unknown. The conditions are hereditary and so genetics clearly play a role in many, if not most or all, occurrences of the conditions. Environmental, developmental or other factors may also contribute to these disorders but, at present, no specific agent or event has been identified. Therefore, TS is likely caused by complex interactions between genetic and other factors which may vary in different individuals. Studies are underway to find the genes and other factors underlying the development of these disorders.

Symptoms of Tourett’s Syndrome

Helpful information to know about symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome:

 Motor tics include:

  • Arm or head jerking
  • Blinking
  • Making a face
  • Mouth twitching
  • Shoulder shrugging

 Vocal tics include:

  • Barking or yelping
  • Clearing your throat
  • Coughing
  • Grunting
  • Repeating what someone else says
  • Shouting
  • Sniffing
  • Swearing

For more information or to find out if you qualify, please call (636) 946-8032