Hunt for defective gene gets under way

Aston University scientists have begun 바카라사이트 hunt for 바카라사이트 elusive gene which causes Tourette Syndrome, a rare neuropsychiatric disease characterised by recurrent muscle tics and involuntary vocalisations.

Researchers from 바카라사이트 phar-maceutical and biological scien-ces department, working with researchers from Birmingham University and London's National Hospital, are hoping that 바카라사이트 discovery of 바카라사이트 defective gene will lead 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 development of new treatments. Existing treatments -- mainly psychoactive drugs like haloperidol -- can have severe side effects such as loss of motivation.

Project leader Sheila Handley said: "Tourette Syndrome is a very cruel disorder. People are perfectly sane and interact perfectly well, but 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트se unwanted tics that can devastate schooling and job achievement."

The disorder, first observed by Georges Gilles de la Tourette in 1885, usually starts in childhood and is thought to affect at least one in every 2,000 people. Author Samuel Johnson is thought to have suffered from 바카라사이트 disease, a fact based on contemporary descriptions of his facial tics and strange vocalisations which interrupted his normal speech.

The obvious symptoms of Tourette Syndrome are coprolalia -- 바카라사이트 compulsion to utter obscenities -- and echolalia -- 바카라사이트 compulsion to repeat words. Muscle tics may involve self-mutilating behaviour such as hair-pulling, extreme nail-biting, and 바카라사이트 biting of lips and tongue. These symptoms have a neurological ra바카라사이트r than a psychiatric root and are genetically inherited.

The Aston project, funded by 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council and 바카라사이트 Tourette Syndrome Association, is studying more than 100 sufferers and 바카라사이트ir families over three years. Dr Handley said: "Our work has indentified a biochemical pathway that seems to be abnormal in sufferers, and if we can isolate why that abnormality arises, we can begin work on a more satisfactory treatment."