Cerebellar neurophysiology in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and its role as a target for therapeutic intervention.

Therapy resistance of approximately one-third of patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) requires consideration of alternative therapeutic interventions. The article demonstrates the role of the cerebellum in neuropsychiatric disorders and GTS in particular, specifically its role in functions relating to motor and cognitive symptoms. Certain circuits in the cerebellum have been shown to undergo learning-induced changes during conditioning, with cells in the cortex of the cerebellum appearing to decrease their activity whilst those in deep nuclei seem to do the inverse. Evidence exists showing that abnormal excitability of the motor cortex via the cerebellum could be expected to participate in motor tics in GTS possibly due to aberrations in certain structures of involved circuits. The role of the cerebellum in learning and plasticity processes renders it a strategic and valuable structure to consider for brain stimulation when investigating potential treatment options for neuropsychiatric disorders such as GTS. This article puts forth the concept of using non-invasive and invasive brain stimulation techniques as a novel platform for non-pharmacological neuromodulation of GTS symptoms.
(© 2015 The British Psychological Society.)