984, p. 11). This pattern of inheritance is called autosomal dominant. For female carriers, there is a 70 percent chance that they will express some kind of symptoms of TS (1984, p. 11). There is a 99 percent chance that male carriers will show some clinical expression of the gene (1984, p. 11) The degree of expression in gene carriers is described as penetrance. In males, penetrance is higher than in females; thus, males are more likely to have some form of expression of the genetic vulnerability. A 30 percent chance of female gene carriers will show no symptoms at all, while one percent of males will have no symptoms (Kushner, 1999, p. 63). Males are more likely to have TS or tics; females are more likely to have OCD; however, both may have any combination or severity. TS involves a clinical diagnosis, but no blood tests or other laboratory tests that definitely diagnosis this disorder are available. There is no genetic or biochemical test to determine if a person with TS or an unaffected person carries the gene. Also, there is no prenatal test for the vulnerability to TS. Non-genetic factors are also responsible both as causes and as modifiers of TS. In 25 percent of all cases, there are no apparent genetic inheritances (1999, p. 68). These non-genetic factors include stressful processes or events during the prenatal, perinatal, or early life periods as fatal compromise and exposure to drugs or other toxins (1999, p. 72). In most cases of TS, careful repeated observation and questioning are the only diagnostic procedure. Assessment of a case of TS involves far more than a simple diagnosis. With diagnosis, a thorough understanding of the patient may take a considerable amount of time for the doctor (Fowler, 1996, p. 86). As the patient becomes more comfortable with the doctor, there will is a less likely chance of symptom suppression or inhibition. These symptoms are generally pronounced when patients relax their sel...
