Gene changes may increase risk of Tourette syndrome | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Gene changes may increase risk of Tourette syndrome | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Gene changes may increase risk of Tourette syndrome

At a Glance

• Researchers identified changes in two genes that may increase the risk of developing Tourette syndrome.
• These results suggest new targets to study for potential treatment interventions.

Tourette syndrome can last a lifetime, but most people experience their worst symptoms in their early teens.IPGGutenbergUKLtd/iStock/Thinkstock

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that is usually diagnosed in childhood. It causes repetitive, involuntary movements or noises called tics. Many with Tourette syndrome experience other problems including inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, as well as obsessive-compulsive symptoms such as intrusive thoughts and worries. Symptoms are usually worst during the early teen years, with improvements for most people in the late teens and early adulthood.

The risk factors that contribute to Tourette syndrome aren't well understood. A variety of genetic and environmental factors likely play a role in this complex disorder. Researchers are studying factors that occur before and after birth.

To investigate potential underlying causes, an international collaboration carried out a genetic analysis of people with Tourette syndrome. The research team was co-led by Drs. Jeremiah Scharf at Massachusetts General Hospital; Giovanni Coppola at the University of California, Los Angeles; Carol Mathews at the University of Florida; and Peristera Paschou at Purdue University. The study was funded in part by NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Results were published on June 21, 2017, in Neuron.

The team compared more than 2,400 people with Tourette syndrome to more than 4,000 healthy controls. They focused on changes in the genetic code resulting in deletions or duplications in sections of genes. Deletions in the NRXN1 gene or duplications in the CNTN6gene were each associated with an increased risk of Tourette syndrome. In the study, about 1 in 100 people with Tourette syndrome carried one of those variants.

NRXN1 and CNTN6 are important during brain development. These genes produce molecules that help brain cells form connections with one another. In addition, the two genes are turned on in areas that are part of a brain circuit that connect regions of the brain involved in processing emotions and movement. Studies suggest that errors in this brain circuit may play a role in Tourette syndrome.

More research is needed to learn how NRXN1 and CNTN6 might affect the development of Tourette syndrome and whether they may be potential treatment targets.

“Our study is the tip of the iceberg in understanding the complex biological mechanisms underlying this disorder. With recent advancements in genetic research, we are at the cusp of identifying many genes involved in Tourette syndrome,” Scharf explains.

“Tourette syndrome has a very strong genetic component but identifying the causal genes has been challenging,” says Dr. Jill Morris, program director at NINDS. “As we find genes involved in Tourette syndrome and understand more about its biology, we move closer to our ultimate goal of developing treatments to help children affected by the disease.”

Related Links

• Brain Circuits Involved in Compulsive Behaviors
• What is Tourette Syndrome?
• Tourette Syndrome Information
• Tourette Syndrome: Understanding Your Genetic Conditions
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder

References: Rare Copy Number Variants in NRXN1 and CNTN6 Increase Risk for Tourette Syndrome. Huang AY, Yu D, Davis LK, Sul JH, Tsetsos F, Ramensky V, Zelaya I, Ramos EM, Osiecki L, Chen JA, McGrath LM, Illmann C, Sandor P, Barr CL, Grados M, Singer HS, Nöthen MM, Hebebrand J, King RA, Dion Y, Rouleau G, Budman CL, Depienne C, Worbe Y, Hartmann A, Müller-Vahl KR, Stuhrmann M, Aschauer H, Stamenkovic M, Schloegelhofer M, Konstantinidis A, Lyon GJ, McMahon WM, Barta C, Tarnok Z, Nagy P, Batterson JR, Rizzo R, Cath DC, Wolanczyk T, Berlin C, Malaty IA, Okun MS, Woods DW, Rees E, Pato CN, Pato MT, Knowles JA, Posthuma D, Pauls DL, Cox NJ, Neale BM, Freimer NB, Paschou P, Mathews CA, Scharf JM, Coppola G; Tourette Syndrome Association International Consortium for Genetics (TSAICG); Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome GWAS Replication Initiative (GGRI). Neuron. 2017 Jun 21;94(6):1101-1111.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.06.010. PMID: 28641109.

Funding: NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Tourette Association of America; and the German Research Society.