Tourette Syndrome

Posted on ADHD, Autism

Dyslexia and ADHD share genetic links, DNA study shows

Scientists have shed new light on the genetic basis of dyslexia, showing how it overlaps with that of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Scientists have shed new light on the genetic basis of dyslexia, demonstrating its overlap with that of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A study led by the University of Edinburgh shows that dyslexia and ADHD often occur together and share many common genes. This sets them apart from other developmental and mental health diagnoses such as autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. The study is the first to explore the genetic links to dyslexia, which is believed to affect 10% of the population, in the context of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric traits.

The findings from the University of Edinburgh could help in customizing targeted educational, employment, and wellbeing support systems for people with dyslexia or ADHD, experts say. These findings contribute to our understanding of the biological factors underlying dyslexia, a condition that affects reading and spelling, and ADHD, a condition associated with difficulty concentrating hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh analyzed large public anonymized datasets of genetic data on 10 neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Additionally, they used dyslexia genetic statistics from an analysis of around 1 million people in collaboration with 23andMe, a genomics and biotechnology company.

They used a statistical tool to find clusters of genetically similar traits for dyslexia and 10 neurodevelopmental and psychiatric traits including ADHD, anorexia nervosa and Tourette syndrome. They conducted more detailed analyses to identify specific genetic regions that overlap between dyslexia and ADHD.

In the study, researchers identified five genetic clusters, called latent genomic factors, among the 10 psychiatric traits. They found that ADHD was more closely linked to a factor related to attention and learning difficulties rather than factors associated with neurodevelopmental traits such as autism and Tourette syndrome.

Posted on Neurodiversity

Clinical trial shows wrist device significantly reduces tics in Tourette syndrome

Mylo Roberts taking part in the clinical trial

The results of the clinical trial of a new wrist device designed to help control the symptoms of Tourette syndrome have shown it significantly reduces the severity and frequency of tics.

The prototype wrist device, which was recently tried out by Lewis Capaldi, delivers electrical pulses to reduce the amount and severity of tics experienced by individuals with Tourette’s and was trialed by 121 people across the UK. The results have been announced in MedRxive.

The device has been developed by scientists at the University of Nottingham and spin-out company Neurotherapuetics Ltd who have recently secured £1m in additional funding to commercialise the ‘Neupulse’ device with the aim of having a device and App available within the next 3 years.

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is usually diagnosed between the ages of eight and 12. It causes involuntary sounds and movements called tics. Tics are repetitive, stereotyped movements and vocalisations that occur in bouts, typically many times in a single day, and are often preceded by a strong urge-to-tic, referred to as a premonitory urge (PU).  

Previous research by scientists from the University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology and School of Medicine used repetitive trains of electrical stimulation to the median nerve (MNS) at the wrist to entrain rhythmic electrical brain activity – known as brain oscillations – associated with the suppression of movements. They found that rhythmic MNS substantially reduces tic frequency and tic intensity, and remove the urge-to-tic, in individuals with TS.

Trial participants used the device at home at a similar time each day for 15 mins for a period of one month.  A subset of people were also videoed each day.  Each week participants gave feedback on their experience.

The results of the trial revealed that people who received active stimulation experienced a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of their tics. On average, they saw a reduction in tic frequency of more than 25% while they received stimulation.

After using the device for 4 weeks, people who received active stimulation experienced a reduction in their tic severity of more than 35%. In total, 59% of the people who received active stimulation experienced a reduction in tic severity of at least 25% compared to baseline.

13-year-old Mylo was one of the participants in the trial. His parents noticed unusual symptoms when he was a toddler, but he wasn’t diagnosed until he was 10 after his tics became more noticeable. He said: “The device was easy to use – you strap it on like a watch and press a button to start it. You have to make sure the pads are on the back properly otherwise it might hurt a tiny bit. When the stimulation occurs it feels a bit like a fizzing on my wrist and forearm,  not painful just a bit different. 

The device definitely helped my tics. I still did the occasional tic when it was on but the need to do it was a lot less. I definitely want this device when it is available. I think it can help people with Tourette’s in different ways. For me, I would use it if I was going to the cinema or the theatre – places where you sometimes have to be quiet or still so you don’t disturb people. Tourette’s can be really exhausting sometimes, like when you have a tic attack and can’t get a break from it – this device could really help with that. I think different people would benefit in different ways – because Tourette’s can vary quite a lot. I don’t think I would use it all day, just when I felt I especially needed it.”

Mylo’s mum Alex added: “I feel this device could be a great safety net for us. I don’t know how Mylo’s Tourette’s will progress as he gets older, but knowing there is something out there that can help if he wants it makes me feel so much better. I would also say that the device might not be for everyone – if you are accepting of your tics and they don’t impact your life you might not want or need it, but for those people that really struggle I believe it will make a significant impact with daily challenges. We feel really lucky to have taken part in the trial.”

Professor Stephen Jackson from the University of Nottingham and Chief Scientific Officer at Neurotherapeutics Ltdsaid: “Though the Neupulse device is still early in development, the results of this UK-wide double-blind clinical trial have been extremely encouraging. This device has the potential to dramatically improve the lives of those with Tourette syndrome, who often face challenges managing their tics, by providing increased control over their tics on demand.”

Dr. Barbara Morera Maiquez, Chief Research Officer at Neurotherapeutics Ltd managed the trial, she commented: “The results of this trial mark an exciting step towards an effective, non-invasive treatment for Tourette syndrome that can be used at home. We are now focused on using the knowledge from the trial to develop a commercial device that can be made available to people with Tourette’s.”

Leave a comment Posted on A to Z of Medical Conditions, ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – Signs and Symptoms of ADHD




The sign and symptoms of ADHD

The sign and symptoms of ADHD




The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be categorised into two types of behavioural problems.

These categories are:

hyperactivity and impulsiveness
inattentiveness

Most people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this isn’t always the case.



For example, some people with the condition may have problems with inattentiveness, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness. This form of ADHD is also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD can sometimes go unnoticed because the symptoms may be less obvious.

Symptoms in children and teenagers

The symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers are well defined, and they’re usually noticeable before the age of six. They occur in more than one situation, such as at home and at school.

The main signs of each behavioural problem are detailed below.

Inattentiveness

The main signs of inattentiveness are:

having a short attention span and being easily distracted
making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork
appearing forgetful or losing things
being unable to stick at tasks that are tedious or time-consuming
appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions
constantly changing activity or task
having difficulty organising tasks

Hyperactivity and impulsiveness

The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are:

being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
constantly fidgeting
being unable to concentrate on tasks
excessive physical movement
excessive talking
being unable to wait their turn
acting without thinking
interrupting conversations
little or no sense of danger

These symptoms can cause significant problems in a child’s life, such as underachievement at school, poor social interaction with other children and adults, and problems with discipline.

Related conditions in children and teenagers

Although not always the case, some children may also have signs of other problems or conditions alongside ADHD, such as:

anxiety disorder – which causes your child to worry and be nervous much of the time; it may also cause physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, sweating and dizziness
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) – this is defined by negative and disruptive behaviour, particularly towards authority figures, such as parents and teachers
conduct disorder – this often involves a tendency towards highly antisocial behaviour, such as stealing, fighting, vandalism and harming people or animals
depression
sleep problems – finding it difficult to get to sleep at night, and having irregular sleeping patterns
autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) – this affects social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour
epilepsy – a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated fits or seizures
Tourette’s syndrome – a condition of the nervous system, characterised by a combination of involuntary noises and movements called tics
learning difficulties – such as dyslexia

Symptoms in adults

In adults, the symptoms of ADHD are more difficult to define. This is largely due to a lack of research into adults with ADHD.

ADHD is a developmental disorder; it’s believed that it can’t develop in adults without it first appearing during childhood. But it’s known that symptoms of ADHD often persist from childhood into a person’s teenage years, and then adulthood.

Any additional problems or conditions experienced by children with ADHD, such as depression or dyslexia, may also continue into adulthood.

By the age of 25, an estimated 15% of people diagnosed with ADHD as children still have a full range of symptoms, and 65% still have some symptoms that affect their daily lives.

The symptoms in children and teenagers, which are listed above, is sometimes also applied to adults with possible ADHD. But some specialists say that the way in which inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness affect adults can be very different from the way they affect children.

For example, hyperactivity tends to decrease in adults, while inattentiveness tends to get worse as the pressure of adult life increases. Adult symptoms of ADHD also tend to be far more subtle than childhood symptoms.

Some specialists have suggested the following list of symptoms associated with ADHD in adults:

carelessness and lack of attention to detail
continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones
poor organisational skills
inability to focus or prioritise
continually losing or misplacing things
forgetfulness
restlessness and edginess
difficulty keeping quiet and speaking out of turn
blurting out responses and often interrupting others
mood swings, irritability and a quick temper
inability to deal with stress
extreme impatience
taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others – for example, driving dangerously




Additional problems in adults with ADHD

As with ADHD in children and teenagers, ADHD in adults can occur alongside several related problems or conditions.

One of the most common conditions is depression. Other conditions that adults may have alongside ADHD include:

personality disorders – conditions in which an individual differs significantly from an average person, in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others
bipolar disorder – a condition that affects your moods, which can swing from one extreme to another
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – a condition that causes obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour

The behavioural problems associated with ADHD can also cause problems such as difficulties with relationships, social interaction, drugs and crime. Some adults with ADHD find it hard to find and stay in a job.