BM0905 - European Network for the Study of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome

The main objective of this Action is to create a pan-European interdisciplinary network of scientists with the goal to promote the study of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS), improve the standard of care for GTS across Europe, and educate the public and professionals about the disorder.

Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) is an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder with childhood onset. It is marked by multiple motor and vocal tics and high comorbidity rates with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Due to lack of education of medical professionals, educators, and the general public, GTS is underdiagnosed and patients are severely discriminated against. Efforts to elucidate the genetic etiology of GTS are fragmented across Europe and hampered by low statistical power. This COST Action will foster the creation of a pan-European, interdisciplinary scientific network with a goal to promote the study of GTS, improve the standards of care, and educate the public and professionals, combating stigmatisation of affected individuals. Best practice guidelines are going to be set and national projects are going to be unified into a large-scale effort that will uncover the genetic basis of GTS and disentangle the interplay between environment and genetics.