ABSTRACT
Tics used to be thought of as a manifestation of anxiety. It is true that anxiety or tension may worsen tics, as may excitement or illness, but sometimes the need to maintain focus can instead serve to suppress them. Combinations of tics that do not quite add up to Tourette’s syndrome, or that have not lasted for the arbitrary period of one year, can be called a tic disorder. The mean age of onset of Tourette’s syndrome is seven years, usually with motor tics such as blinking. Tourette’s syndrome starts to improve in late adolescence or early adulthood, and in general continues to improve with age, although a few individuals continue to experience severe tics throughout their adult life. A newly learnt voluntary movement can become a tic; and tics can often be suppressed in novel or demanding environments, only to erupt in more relaxed circumstances.
