Tourette Syndrome,
Tics, OCD & Depression
The Underlying Biochemistry of Tourette syndrome, Tics & Depression

   - Why this increase in tic disorders?
   - How a biomedical approach can help
   - What is Tourette Syndrome?  
   - Breaking the Cycle of Tourette Syndrome
   - Testing useful for individuals with Tourette Syndrome
   - Testing for choles
   - How can I get test kits?

Once rare, Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders are now common. All neurological disorders are on the rise. Once found mostly in adults, depression now afflicts millions of young children and teens, even preschoolers.

Genetics has long been considered one of the main reasons for the increase in mood and tic disorders seen worldwide. More recently, biomedical and environmental factors are being recognized as important underlying factors for these disorders. Our increasingly burdened environment contains clues; understanding the interplay of genetic predisposition and the environment in its broadest sense may provide new answers to treating and preventing these conditions.

All neurological syndromes have a biological basis, including tic disorders. A biomedical approach to treatment of tic disorders is first a search for underlying physiological imbalances and dysfunctional metabolic processes. Second, treatments are designed to restore the body to balance and optimize function efforts are then made to restore the body to balance and optimal function through nutritional support, diet, detoxification, and reduction of environmental influences. Laboratory testing and environmental assessments can help to identify causal factors and to focus treatment.

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. The first symptoms of TS are almost always noticed in childhood. Some of the more common tics include: eye blinking and other vision irregularities, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, and head or shoulder jerking. Perhaps the most dramatic and disabling tics are those that result in self-harm such as punching oneself in the face, or vocal tics including coprolalia (uttering swear words) or echolalia (repeating the words or phrases of others). Many individuals with TS experience additional neurobehavioral problems: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms such as intrusive thoughts or worries and repetitive behaviors.
Early symptoms of TS are almost always noticed first in childhood, with the average onset between the ages of 7 and 10 years. TS occurs in all ethnic groups and males are affected three to four times more often than females. An estimated 200,000 Americans have a severe form of TS, and as many as one in 100 individuals exhibit milder and less complex symptoms - chronic motor or vocal tics or the transient tics of childhood. Although TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the condition experience their worst symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and early adulthood.

*Ref. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Begin to Break the Cycle

Balancing gastrointestinal function, especially treatment of Candida overgrowth, reducing food allergy and intolerance, removing heavy metals, and optimizing individual nutrition all help mitigate tic disorders and associated mood and attention disorders. In addition to chemical environmental pollutants, the electromagnetic environment influences the human nervous system. Artificial lighting and cell phone use are examples of influences that may affect tic frequency and severity and may need to be considered.

The following panel of tests offered by The Great Plains Laboratory assesses metabolic markers, immune functions, and toxic exposure levels relevant to Tourette syndrome. This information can be used to direct treatment that may reduce expression of Tourette’s symptoms.
Any test offered by The Great Plains Laboratory can be ordered individually. The panels are targeted to specific conditions and provide a significant discount over individual test pricing. Each of GPL’s tests stands alone and treatment decisions can be made from an individual test along with the patient’s clinical presentation.

It’s easy. Contact The Great Plains Laboratory by phone, fax, e-mail, or visit our website to order a kit sent free of charge in the U.S.

Phone: (913) 341-8949
E-mail: GPL4U@aol.com
Fax: (913) 341-6207
Website: www.greatplainslaboratory.com

Approval: A state-authorized health practitioner, usually a MD, DO, naturopath, chiropractor, or nutritionist, must sign for testing, If you do not have a local physician, The Great Plains Laboratory can assist you in finding a practitioner.

Insurance: The Great Plains Laboratory is a Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO provider and will file other insurance if requested, except for Medicaid plans, GHI, or any HMOs. Please review the insurance information in our Info Guide or on the GPL website for your insurance planning.