Tourette syndrome and HLA.

Five kindreds with multiple individuals manifesting Tourette syndrome (TS) or related abnormal movements were evaluated for linkage between TS and HLA-A, B, C and DR antigens. Families were selected to have a constellation of affected individuals which gave the appearance of transmission of a major susceptibility gene. All kindreds had at least two clearly affected first or second degree relatives. Although developmental neurobehavioral disorders are candidates for showing a relationship to specific tissue antigens, we found no evidence for a close linkage between a gene locus determining susceptibility to TS and the HLA loci.