Explainer | What is Tourette’s syndrome, the condition that affects Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi, award-winning musicians?
- Tics, sudden, brief movements or sounds, are the main symptom of Tourette’s syndrome, and observers may think a sufferer is ‘crazy’ or ‘uncontrollable’
- A neurological condition named after the 19th century French doctor who identified it, its sufferers can be taught to mask symptoms, and may receive medication
Mary was 14 when she suddenly developed verbal tics. At first, they were quiet, though disconcerting for her. She tried to mask the sounds she made involuntarily by grunting.
She also began to have motor tics and head tilting. She masked these with other movements.
When she tried to hide a tic, though, another developed. Her classmates did not understand what was happening to her. Her doctor referred her for behavioural therapy, but had to supplement it with medication when the tics became debilitating and interfered with normal conversation.
Dr Keith Hariman, a Hong Kong-based specialist in psychiatry, says the diagnosis for Mary – a real-life though anonymous case study – is Tourette’s syndrome.
A person with this neurological disorder develops motor and/or vocal tics, sudden brief intermittent movements or sounds that may be simple or complex and may or may not happen at the same time.
