Brain functional connectivity in chronic tic disorders and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome

The pathophysiology of chronic tic disorder (cTD) and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is characterized by the dysfunction of both motor and non − motor cortico − striatal − thalamo − cortical (CSTC) circuitries, which leads to tic release and comorbids. A role of fronto − parietal network (FPN) connectivity breakdown has been postulated for tic pathogenesis, given that the FPN entertain connections with limbic, paralimbic, and CSTC networks. Our study was aimed at characterizing the FPN functional connectivity in cTD and GTS in order to assess the role of its deterioration in tic severity and the degree of comorbids. We recorded scalp EEG during resting state in patients with cTD and GTS. The eLORETA current source densities were analyzed, and the lagged phase synchronization (LPS) was calculated to estimate nonlinear functional connectivity between cortical areas. We found that the FPN functional connectivity in delta band was more detrimental in more severe GTS patients. Also, the sensorimotor functional connectivity in beta2 band was stronger in more severe cTD and GTS patients. FPN functional connectivity deterioration correlated with comorbids presence and severity in patients with GTS. Our data suggest that a FPN disconnection may contribute to the motoric symptomatology and comorbid severity in GTS, whereas sensorimotor disconnection may contribute to tic severity in cTD and GTS. Although preliminary, our study points out a differently disturbed brain connectivity between patients with cTD and GTS. This may serve as diagnostic marker and potentially interesting base to develop pharmacological and noninvasive neuromodulation trials aimed at reducing tic symptomatology.