Study of Stress and Quality of Life in Adults with Tourette Syndrome Observing tic severity, psychiatric symptoms, and life experiences over two years

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand how lifetime environmental stress affects adults with Tourette Syndrome TS, a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and often accompanied by psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and OCD. The study focuses on adults over 18, exploring how stress impacts tic severity, mental health symptoms, and quality of life over two years. Previous research in children suggested stress influences symptoms, but this is the first study to examine these effects in adults with TS. Participants are adults diagnosed with TS or related chronic tic disorders. This is an observational study without drug or device interventions. Over two years, participants will undergo assessments at baseline and follow-up, including clinical rating scales for tic severity, psychiatric interviews, and questionnaires on lifetime stress exposure and positive childhood experiences. The study aims to identify how acute and chronic stressors predict changes in tic severity, depression, and health-related quality of life. During the study, participants will complete validated scales such as the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale, NeuroQOL-Depression, and Gilles de la Tourette Quality of Life Scale. Researchers will analyze how stress and positive experiences impact symptoms and quality of life after two years. Various secondary measures will also be collected, including anxiety, ADHD symptoms, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, social support, sensory processing, and stress responses. The study will provide insights into the long-term effects of stress on adults living with TS.

Longitudinal Impact of Stressors in Adults With Tourette Syndrome