European Multicentre Tics in Children Studies (EMTICS): protocol for two cohort studies to assess risk factors for tic onset and exacerbation in children and adolescents

Schrag, Anette; Martino, Davide; Apter, Alan; Ball, Juliane; et al; Müller, Norbert; Roessner, Veit; Schwarz, Markus J; Tagwerker Gloor, Friederike; Walitza, Susanne

doi:10.1007/s00787-018-1190-4

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Schrag, A., Martino, D., Apter, A., Ball, J., et al, Müller, N., Roessner, V., Schwarz, M. J., Tagwerker Gloor, F., & Walitza, S. (2019). European Multicentre Tics in Children Studies (EMTICS): protocol for two cohort studies to assess risk factors for tic onset and exacerbation in children and adolescents. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28(1), 91–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-018-1190-4

Abstract

Genetic predisposition, autoimmunity and environmental factors [e.g. pre- and perinatal difficulties, Group A Streptococcal (GAS) and other infections, stress-inducing events] might interact to create a neurobiological vulnerability to the development of tics and associated behaviours. However, the existing evidence for this relies primarily on small prospective or larger retrospective population-based studies, and is therefore still inconclusive. This article describes the design and methodology of the EMTICS study, a longitudinal ob