Basal ganglia of brain involved in Tourette syndrome

Scientists have learned that the symptoms of Tourette syndrome, a brain disorder, likely arise from dysfunction in a region deep within the brain called the basal ganglia. A University of Michigan study has measured the number of neurons (nerve cells) in the basal ganglia and identified an area of it called the ventral striatum as being involved in Tourette syndrome. However, researchers don't yet know how these findings are linked to the symptoms of Tourette syndrome and why the tic symptoms usually peak in early adolescence. The research was presented at the 2004 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.