2. Tourettes Syndrome

3.  Cause: Tourettes Syndrome is unknown. Current research points to abnormalities in certain brain regions.  How its transmitted: Tourettes Syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes repeated, involuntary physical tics and vocal outbursts. Tourettes can be caused by genetics or environmental factors.

4.  About 200,000 people have been diagnosed with severe symptoms of Tourettes syndrome. Just about 6.5% in the United States (the is not a specific race).

5.  Tourettes affects the part of the brain that is responsible for the sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex, which is called the thalamus. The thalamus is a limbic structure and its located under the cerebral cortex.

6. Simple Tics: Complex Tics: * eye blinking * touching the nose * head jerking * touching other people * shoulder shrugging * smelling objects * yelling * obscene gesturing * barking * flapping arms * hiccupping * using vulgar/swear words

7.  Although there is no cure for Tourrettes Syndrome, the condition in many individuals improves in the late teens and early 20s. Individuals with Tourettes Syndrome have a normal life expectancy. http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?feature=player_detailpa ge&v=HylTFT6gVRU

8.  There is no cure or treatment for Tourrettes Syndrome, but there are effective medications for those whose symptoms interfere with functioning (ex: haloperidol and pimozide).

9. David Beckham Steve Wallace Tim Howard Howie Mandel There are several famous people who have Tourettes and set a shinning example of what is possible for other people with this disorder.

10.  NINDS – National Institutes of Health  Mayo Clinic  Pediatric Tourette Syndrome Treatment & Management  National Research Center  Tourette Syndrome Clinic

11.  Andres, L. M. (2002). Tourette Syndrome. In D. S. Blanchfield & J. L. Longe (Eds.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine (2nd ed., Vol. 5, pp. 3341-3345). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3405601582&v =2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w  Eubanks, S. R. (2005). Tourette Syndrome. In B. Narins (Ed.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 1265-1270). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3451500421&v =2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w  NINDS Tourette syndrome information page. (2011). In Pamphlet by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA267027019& v=2.1&u=cary81451&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w