[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 20, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3178-S3179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               NATIONAL TOURETTE SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I wish to recognize National Tourette 
Syndrome Awareness Month, which runs from May 15, 2014, through June 
15, 2014. This annual observance is an opportunity for us to help the 
many Americans affected by Tourette syndrome by raising awareness and 
encouraging expanded investments in research.
  Tourette syndrome, or TS, is a neurological disorder that typically 
develops during childhood. TS is characterized by repetitive, 
stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics, which 
can range from mild to severe and disabling. The National Institutes of 
Health, NIH, estimates that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form 
of TS and as many as 1 in 100 Americans exhibit milder symptoms such as 
chronic motor or vocal tics. Additionally, people with TS often have 
other co-occurring mental or behavior health conditions. A child 
diagnosed with TS has a 79-percent chance of being diagnosed with 
another condition such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 
ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD, anxiety or depression.

[[Page S3179]]

  An often misunderstood and stigmatizing disorder, TS can have a 
profound and negative impact on the quality of life of those affected. 
Research indicates that TS may be hereditary and that abnormal 
signaling between brain circuits plays a casual role, but the cause of 
the disorder remains unknown. Treatments for TS are also limited, 
although several agents have proven effective in mitigating tics and 
improving social functioning.
  Expanding our national research efforts on TS can help us to identify 
the cause, discover new treatments, and find a cure. Last session, I 
introduced the Collaborative Academic Research Efforts, CARE, for 
Tourette Syndrome Act, which builds upon our national research efforts 
in two major ways. First, the bill expands and intensifies data 
collection on the prevalence of TS and the availability of medical and 
social services for those with TS and their families. Second, the bill 
establishes centers of excellence to conduct in depth, 
multidisciplinary research into the causes, treatments, diagnosis, and 
prevention of TS.
  National Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month, which runs from May 15 to 
June 15, presents us with an opportunity to advocate for the passage of 
the Collaborative Academic Research Efforts, CARE, for Tourette 
Syndrome Act (S. 637). We must provide the NIH with the tools necessary 
to further our understanding of TS. Through greater awareness, expanded 
information, and enhanced therapies and treatments, it is my hope that 
we will improve the quality of life for all people touched by TS.

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