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May 15 to June 15
Designated
Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month
SOMERVILLE, N.J., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman
has proclaimed May 15, 2000 through June 15, 2000 as Tourette
Syndrome Awareness Month.
Through the cooperation of 16th District Assemblyman Kip
Bateman, the proclamation was received earlier this month
by Faith Rice, President of the Tourette Syndrome Association
of New Jersey (TSANJ).
The proclamation states that "there is a need to broaden
public knowledge of this much misunderstood condition, known
as the 'world's most common unknown disorder.'" It further
describes the mission of TSANJ "to support the needs of families
dealing with TS, to advocate for individuals with TS, and
to educate the public, the medical professionals and the educational
communities."
"We are continuing to grow our organization," stated Mrs.
Rice. We currently represent nearly 2,500 families in New
Jersey, but it is estimated that more than 7,000 people in
New Jersey have symptoms of TS."
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited, neurological disorder
characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable
vocal sounds called tics. TS affects people of all ethnic
groups and as many as 1 in 200 people show at least a partial
expression of the disorder. Many people with TS experience
additional problems including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
(OCD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), learning disabilities,
problems with impulse control, and sleep disorders.
The basic cause of TS is unknown but research suggests that
there is an abnormality in the gene(s) affecting the brain's
metabolism of dopamine, serotonin, and nerepinephrine. The
disorder is generally inherited with about a 50% chance of
passing the gene(s) that cause TS to an offspring. Males run
a risk of developing symptoms 3 to 4 times higher than females.
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