Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a mental disease that affects 1 in 1000 boys and 1 in 2500 girls.(www.tourettes-syndrome.com) It is a worldwide disease affecting children from first to third world countries. It is found in the rich, the poor, the healthy, and the sick. The disease first shows signs of appearance around the age of six, and can last as late as 21. During this time the victim is host to numerous involuntary actions, called tics. Those afflicted experience a separation from normal society, and usually are cripple with a low self-esteem throughout their lives. In this essay I will look at the cause of this disease, and look more closely at the tics expressed by those with the disease. (Shimberg, 8)
             TS is a mental disorder; usually coupled with other mental disorders such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). (www.Being a mental disorder, it affects the mind. To understand this disease we have to look at this fact. Most mental disease stem from a common thread; genetics. To be more specific, a special combination of nuclear bases in a particular strand of DNA, otherwise known as a gene. These genes are inherited from parents who have that particular gene themselves, often enough at least one of the parents of TS patients suffered from TS themselves. ( http://members.tripod.com/
             ~tourette13/) "If the diseased gene is passed to the offspring of the parent with TS the child may not get it. Females have a 70% chance of the gene becoming active, whereas males have a 99% chance." (Murray, 616)
             This particular gene does not seem to be mendelian in nature, which means that even if you have homozygous dominant parents, that is both parents have the dominant allele for this gene, you may not get this disease. A study done on twins looked at the frequency of TS in monzygotic twins (twins with an average of 99.9% common genetic information) and compared them to ...