Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffTourette (too-RET) syndrome is a neurological disorder in which you display unusual movements or make sounds over which you may have little or no control (tics). For instance, you may repeatedly blink your eyes, shrug your shoulders or jerk your head. In some cases, you might blurt obscenities.
Signs and symptoms of Tourette syndrome usually begin in childhood, typically showing up between ages 7 and 10. Males are about three to four times more likely than females to develop Tourette syndrome.
Although there's no cure, you can live a normal life span with Tourette syndrome, and many people with Tourette don't need treatment when symptoms aren't troublesome. Children often outgrow Tourette syndrome after adolescence.
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