The specific cause is unknown. People with TS can sometimes suppress their tics for a short time, however the task is similar to that of holding back a sneeze. Eventually tension mounts and the tic escapes. Tics worsen in stressful situations. Tics they improve when the person is relaxed.
Tics usually decrease during sleep.
Tourette Syndrome is a clinical diagnosis. This means blood tests or other laboratory tests do not difinitively diagnose the Syndrome. Usually Tourette Syndrome is diagnosed by observing the symptoms and evaluating family history. For a diagnosis of TS to be made, both motor and phonic tics must be present for at least 1 year. Statistics Males are affected 3 to 4 times more often than females.