Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the occurrence of motor and vocal tics. TS is associated with cortical–striatal–thalamic–cortical circuit dysfunction and hyper-excitability of cortical limbic and motor regions that lead to the occurrence of tics. Importantly, individuals with TS often report that their tics are preceded by premonitory sensory/urge phenomena (PU) that are described as uncomfortable bodily sensations that precede the execution of a tic and are experienced as an urge for motor discharge. While tics are most often referred to as involuntary movements, it has been argued by some that tics should be viewed as voluntary movements that are executed in response to the presence of PU. To investigate this issue further, we conducted a study using electroencephalography (EEG). We recorded movement-related EEG (mu- and beta-band oscillations) during (1) the immediate period leading up to the execution of voluntary movements by a group of individuals with TS and a group of matched healthy control participants, and (2) the immediate period leading up to the execution of a tic in a group of individuals with TS. We demonstrate that movement-related mu and beta oscillations are not reliably observed prior to tics in individuals with TS. We interpret this effect as reflecting the greater involvement of a network of brain areas, including the insular and cingulate cortices, the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, in the generation of tics in TS. We also show that beta-band desynchronization does occur when individuals with TS initiate voluntary movements, but, in contrast to healthy controls, desynchronization of mu-band oscillations is not observed during the execution of voluntary movements for individuals with TS. We interpret this finding as reflecting a dysfunction of physiological inhibition in TS, thereby contributing to an impaired ability to suppress neuronal populations that may compete with movement preparation processes.

中文翻译：

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使用脑电图检查图雷特综合征抽动的神经前因

抽动秽语综合征 (TS) 是一种以发生运动和发声抽搐为特征的神经发育障碍。TS 与皮质 - 纹状体 - 丘脑 - 皮质回路功能障碍和皮质边缘和运动区域的过度兴奋有关，导致抽搐的发生。重要的是，患有 TS 的人经常报告说，他们的抽动之前有先兆的感觉/冲动现象 (PU)，这些现象被描述为在执行抽动之前的不舒服的身体感觉，并被视为运动放电的冲动。虽然抽动最常被称为非自愿运动，但一些人认为，抽动应被视为响应 PU 的存在而执行的自愿运动。为了进一步研究这个问题，我们使用脑电图 (EEG) 进行了一项研究。我们在 (1) 一组患有 TS 的个体和一组匹配的健康对照参与者执行自愿运动之前的即时期间记录了与运动相关的脑电图（mu 和 beta 波段振荡），以及 (2)在一组患有 TS 的人中执行抽搐之前的直接时期。我们证明与运动相关的 mu 和 beta 振荡是在 TS 患者的抽动之前不能可靠地观察到。我们将这种效应解释为反映了大脑区域网络的更多参与，包括岛叶和扣带皮层、基底神经节和小脑，在 TS 中抽动的产生。我们还表明，当 TS 患者开始自愿运动时，确实会发生 β 波段去同步化，但与健康对照相比，在 TS 患者进行自愿运动期间未观察到 mu 波段振荡的去同步化。我们将这一发现解释为反映了 TS 中的生理抑制功能障碍，从而导致抑制可能与运动准备过程竞争的神经元群体的能力受损。