Reduced white matter connectivity in the corpus callosum of children with Tourette syndrome

Abstract

Background-Brain imaging studies have revealed anatomical anomalies in the brains of individuals with Tourette syndrome (TS). Prefrontal regions have been found to be larger and the corpus callosum (CC) area smaller in children and young adults with TS compared with healthy control subjects, and these anatomical features have been understood to reflect neural plasticity that helps to attenuate the severity of tics.

Neuropsychological aspects of Tourette syndrome: A review

“…Schultz et al [34] suggested that deficits in TS on these tasks could lie in the synthesis of perceptual and motor inputs, whereas Margolis et al [43] suggested that poor performance may reflect poor motor integration across the hemispheres, and that changes in interhemispheric connectivity in TS may also explain the increased corpus callosum sizes exhibited by their patient sample. Support for this claim may be provided by other studies that have reported abnormalities of the corpus callosum in TS [45].…”

White-matter abnormalities in Tourette syndrome extend beyond motor pathways

“…Plessen and colleagues reported two studies concerning the role of the corpus callosum in Tourette syndrome (Plessen et al, 2004;Plessen et al, 2006). They investigated the size of the midsagittal corpus callosum in structural T1-weighted MR-images in 158 individuals ranging from 5-65 years (Plessen et al, 2004).…”

Tourettism in Multiple Sclerosis: A case report

“…Although the neuroanatomic bases of TS and acquired TS-like symptoms are unknown, the basal ganglia (BG) portions of cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuits have consistently been implicated in the pathogenesis of TS [10]. Other brain structures too seem to be involved such as the cortical regions [11] and the corpus callosum [12]. Using MRI in TS children, Sowell and colleagues [11], observed thinning of the sensorimotor cortices.…”