INHERITANCE There are many mysteries surrounding Tourette’s Syndrome as each patient’s symptoms are different and potential causes have not been consistently identified in a large amount of those diagnosed. The risk factors and causes remain unconfirmed, as well as the exact mode of inheritance. Scientists do know, however, that genes play an important role in the inheritance of the syndrome. TS is an autosomal dominant disorder. An autosomal disorder “is one that occurs because of an abnormal gene on a chromosome that is not a sex-linked chromosome” and since there is only one abnormal gene, there is “about a 50 percent chance of passing the abnormal gene to their offspring” (healthofchildren.com). “Genetic studies have indicated that TS
