Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by tics that occur from childhood and adolescence and can be combined with behavioral issues such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behavior.

The course of symptoms is chronic with periods of recession and exacerbation. Tics are sudden, rapid, repetitive, unnecessary, arrhythmic, stereotypical contractions of motor or vocal muscles. Tic can manifest itself simply (blinking eyes, face grimacing, neck cleaning, nose rubbing, etc.) or multiple such as leaping, touching other people or things, coprolalia (socially unacceptable words), soundtrack (repeating a sound, a word or a phrase which has just been heard) and palilalia (repeating the last word that the person has said).

Tics in Tourette's syndrome occur many times during the day, almost daily and for at least one year, and are not due to the consumption of drugs, substances or to some underlying neurological condition. In the etiopathogenesis of Tourette's syndrome, genetic and environmental factors play an important role, but the precise cause of the tic and the syndrome is unknown.

Often there is no need for treatment, but in some cases medication and the integrated cognitive therapy (CBT) applied at the Veresies Clinic, are effective.

The treatment of the kinetic and vocal tics of Tourette’s syndrome depends on whether tics affect patients and whether they have a social or emotional impact.

Educating the surroundings can increase understanding and reduce social stigma. This is accomplished with the contribution of doctors, psychologists and social workers.

All Programs of “Veresies” Clinic are approved and supervised by the Cyprus National Addictions Authority (CNAA).

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