A form of the human head, represented as a network consisting of points and their connections.

Tourette

Head of research group: Prof. Dr. med. Kirsten Müller-Vahl

English version

Background

Our research group focuses on the care and treatment of patients with Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders as well as clinical research on various aspects of the disorder including clinical features, treatment options and underlying causes.

To this end, we offer a Tourette's consultation hour in which more than 2000 children and adults have been advised and treated over the past 20 years. This makes our consultation the largest of its kind in Germany. The consultation is open to patients of all ages and, in addition to diagnostics and obtaining a second opinion, includes advice on all aspects of the disease as well as treatment with all established and experimental treatment approaches. In addition to psychotherapeutic and drug therapy, the range of treatments on offer also includes the option of surgical treatment using deep brain stimulation (in cooperation with the Clinical Department of Neurosurgery at the MHH). A particular focus is on treatment with cannabis-based medication.

In addition, we are constantly conducting a large number of scientific studies on clinical aspects, new therapeutic approaches and the causes of Tourette's syndrome. Under the direction of Prof. Kirsten R. Müller-Vahl, 15 doctorates have been completed in recent years. Currently, 14 PhD students are being supervised in the working group. Prof. Müller-Vahl was and is a leading contributor to the national, European and American guidelines for the treatment of Tourette syndrome. The research group has been involved in numerous international projects on Tourette syndrome research in recent years, including:

  • GTS COST Action BM0905: European Network for the Study of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, EU Framework Program COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)
  • EMTICS: European Multicenter Tics in Children Studies, FP7- HEALTH-2011 No. 278367
  • TS-EUROTRAIN: Marie Curie Initial Training Network: FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN No. 316978 (Interdisciplinary training network for Tourette Syndrome; structuring European Training capacities for neurodevelopmental disorders)

As former president of the European Tourette Society ESSTS (European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome), Prof. Müller-Vahl has played a leading role in the organization of international congresses, the development of treatment guidelines and further training and information on Tourette syndrome. Close cooperation with national and European self-help groups is particularly important to us. Prof. Müller-Vahl is the spokesperson of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Tourette Society Germany (TGD) e.V.


Overarching goals

Our patients are at the center of our thoughts and actions. That is why we strive to offer the best possible advice and treatment during Tourette's consultations. As the causes of Tourette's syndrome are still only partially understood and the treatments currently available are not effective and tolerable for all patients, we regularly conduct studies with the aim of better characterizing the clinical picture of the disorder, better understanding the causes of the disorder and ultimately finding better treatment methods.

Current studies and those conducted in recent years have therefore also dealt with very different aspects and ranged from studies on quality of life, tic suppression, premonition, free will and concomitant disorders such as tantrums and auto-aggression to studies on genetics, epigenetics, immunological aspects and imaging studies on various transmitter systems of the brain to therapy studies with internet-based behavioral therapy, cannabis-based medication and deep brain stimulation.

Special emphasis is currently being placed on research into the efficacy and safety of cannabis-based medications and endocannabinoid modulators in the treatment of tics and typical comorbidities of Tourette's syndrome such as ADHD, compulsions, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, auto-aggressive behavior and fits of rage, as well as investigations into the significance of the body's own cannabinoid system in the development of the disorder.

Another important focus of research is currently the differential diagnosis and differentiation from functional (dissociative) movement disorders. To date, the diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome and other tic disorders has only been possible on the basis of clinical history and examination. An increasing number of patients are currently presenting to our clinic with a functional disorder with tic and/or Tourette-like symptoms, either exclusively or in combination with Tourette syndrome. A further focus of our studies is therefore the differentiation of functional movements from tics, research into the causes and treatment of this movement disorder.

Scientific collaborations

Third-party funding

The following externally funded studies are currently being carried out in our working group

Research group members

Head of research group

Prof. Dr. Dr. Kirsten Müller-Vahl

Managing Senior Physician

Phone: +49 511 532 5258

mueller-vahl.kirsten@mh-hannover.de

Curriculum vitae

Excellence at a glance: see here

Publications: Pubmed

 

Office

Martina Henning

Phone: +49 511 532 3551

Fax: +49 511 532 3187

henning.martina@mh-hannover.de