Relation With OCD and ADHD
Some forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be genetically linked to Tourette's, or an alternate expression of the condition; genetic studies show an increased rate of tics and obsessive-compulsive behaviors or OCD in relatives of patients with Tourette's, and "reinforce the idea that at least some forms of OCD are etiologically related to TS, and may, therefore, be a variant expression of the same etiologic factors that are important for the expression of tics." Further evidence supporting that OCD and Tourette's are alternative expressions of a common genetic vulnerability is that males inheriting the genetic vulnerability are more likely to display tics, while females are more likely to display obsessive-compulsive traits.
The genetic relationship of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to Tourette's syndrome is less clear, with some evidence to suggest no genetic linkage, and some evidence to suggest that some forms of Tourette's syndrome may be genetically related to ADHD. Not all persons with Tourette's syndrome will have ADHD or OCD, although in specialty clinics where the most impaired patients are treated, a high percentage of patients seeking treatment do have ADHD. The high co-occurrence of ADHD observed in specialty clinics may be due to clinical ascertainment bias. Further study is needed to understand the genetic relationship between ADHD and Tourette's.
Read more about this topic: Causes And Origins Of Tourette Syndrome
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