Tics get better

[MLee]

Does anybody have a theory for those whose children’s tics get better or disappear with age, why it happens? And at what age does it usually slowly  happen?
 

I’m hoping this is the case for us. 

thanks in advance for sharing. 

[Sheila]

Hi MLee, I've heard a theory that for those with an immune/allergy connection to their tics, just as allergies and sensitivities often improve with age, so do the tics along with them.  I don't think research has looked in this direction though. 

[Chemar]

I have also heard that perhaps as the hormones of the pre-teen - 20s years settle, it could play a part in stabilizing the dopamine sensitive aspect in the Basal Ganglia of folks with TS?

[mert]

Hi Mlee, 

Excellent question. Earlier studies about this topic had strong discrepancy between each other. (there is also an other study about what could be the reason about this discrepancy) 

Good news is there are a few newer studies about exactly this topic , that were managed a bit more carefully to achieve more consistent results. One of the largest studies is called EMTICS , unfortunately despite all my efforts I am unable to reach the results. 

However this one is very very good : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30850688/

You'd better read it yourself , but a brief summary is : Tics improve as a group in 12 months. Absence of anxiety disorder looks like one of the biggest factors. 

I'd also recommend this study : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31241402/

This study correlates improvement with the ability to suppress tics. 

I am expecting to see a few more related studies being released in this year that would help parent/doctors plan treatment based on outlook rather then wait and see approach. 

As a side note, I've never believed in transient tic disorder and TS diagnoses. What we are experiencing is more like a Spectrum Disorder and here is a nice study supporting this approach, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30661132

I also believe current assessment methods are very coarse (YGTSS) and preventing from correlating symptoms/improvements etc with other factors. We will get significantly better information once researchers move away from YGTSS and smiler coarse classifications. 

Back to your question EMTICS should at the end of the day provide a better answer to your question in the long run. 

Best regards

Mertol  

[evemac]

My answer is based on research that may be outdated, but I read that it may be synaptic pruning due to outdated/no longer needed synaptic connections as the brain matures during and post adolescence. 

My son just turned 16, and his tics are now so few and far between after merciless tics through his early childhood. He has quite a few yesterday, and I realized that the only time I see them now are when he is sick (which is what it is) or very tired. 

[mert]

1 hour ago, evemac said:

My answer is based on research that may be outdated, but I read that it may be synaptic pruning due to outdated/no longer needed synaptic connections as the brain matures during and post adolescence. 

My son just turned 16, and his tics are now so few and far between after merciless tics through his early childhood. He has quite a few yesterday, and I realized that the only time I see them now are when he is sick (which is what it is) or very tired. 

That, I think was a theory and as of today , to my knowledge, root cause still is not identified. 

I am very glad that your son has recovered. it'd help us a lot if you can share more information about when tics started and how severe where they (according to YGSSt score) and at what speed tics went down to a manageable level. 

 

[MLee]

Thank you all for these Insightful perspectives. I do so appreciate it. 

[mert]

Please note some of the EMTICS based research WP's are released with a lot of new information on tics. 

This page gives an excellent summary of all EMTICS based WP's at the moment. (more to be released everyday , probably slowed down by the Covid situation in Europe) 

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/278367/reporting?rcn=59137