FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September  19, 2008 – Contact- Nicole Greco (NJCTS) 908-575-7350Somerville, NJ- New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome offers the world’s first Tourette Syndrome DNA Cell Sharing Repository at Rutgers University. This genetic material is available for research world-wide.

    The material is donated by children who have been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome and their families in the hopes of helping researchers understand the underlying causes of TS.

    Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited (genetic), neurological disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocal (phonic) sounds called tics. In a few cases, the vocal tics can include inappropriate words and phrases. Symptoms generally appear before a child is 18 years old.

    Researchers know TS can affect people of all ethnic groups and that males are affected 3 to 4 times more often than females. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Americans have full-blown TS, and that as many as 1 in 200 people show a partial expression of the disorder such as chronic multiple tics or transient childhood tics.

    The natural course of TS varies from patient to patient. Although TS symptoms range from very mild to quite severe, the majority of cases fall in the mild category.  Research through the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome’s DNA Sharing Repository will lead scientists to understand more about the genetic causes and markers for the disorder, but also to more effective therapies.

    Visit www.tourettesyndromeresearch.org for more information or to volunteer for this important study.