Tourette Syndrome: Gene Expression as a Tool to Discover Drug Targets

Abstract

Summary:Gene expression microarrays are a high-throughput, cost-effective method for measuring the expression of all genes in a sample. By comparing the expression patterns of healthy controls to diseased subjects, the genetic regulatory pathways underlying and affected by the disease can be elucidated. Furthermore, dysregulated genes are possible candidates for pharmaceutical therapy. Here, we consider the possibility of applying this approach to Tourette syndrome. We also review current theories of Tourette syndrome etiology and pharmacology.

The Need for a Proper Definition of a “Treatment Refractoriness” in Tourette Syndrome

“…A further difficulty in defining the specific clinical picture for the patient is that tics may change during the course of illness and new tics can issue (Du, 2010 ; Liao, 2010 ; Worbe, 2010 ). The development of diagnostic instruments that try to bypass the timing of the different clinical manifestations, such as the Diagnostic Confidence Index (Robertson, 1999 ), demonstrate the need for a sound description of such an ever-changing clinical picture.…”