Eye blinking abnormalities in Tourette syndrome: Blink more or blink differently?

For this episode we sit down with Dr Julius Verrel and Dr Alexander Münchau to delve into their recent publication (Parkinsonism and Related Disorders Journal) on eye blinking abnormalities in Tourette Syndrome. They offer a deep dive into the intricacies of eye blinking patterns, shedding light on the distinctions between normal blinking, blink tics, and potential pathological blinks.

We talk about the historical and recent studies comparing blink rates in individuals with Tourette Syndrome to healthy controls, and the challenges in distinguishing between typical and atypical blinks.

Dr Verrel highlights the study's focus on understanding the characteristics of blink tics, aiming to differentiate them from physiological blinks. Through meticulous analysis, the researchers employed manual and automated methods to observe blink patterns, considering features like duration, amplitude, and temporal distance. This examination aimed to uncover potential markers that signify tics, contributing to a better understanding of Tourette Syndrome. 

Regarding the innovative use of high-resolution video recordings to dissect blink features with greater accuracy, Dr Münchau notes that ongoing collaborations with machine learning experts are set to enhance the precision of identifying atypical blinks. This technological advancement promises more refined diagnostic and research techniques, opening paths to potentially utilising blinking abnormalities as biomarkers for Tourette Syndrome.

Alexander Münchau studied medicine in Hamburg and Berlin, Germany. He spent 3 years at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square in London. From 2001 to 2013 he worked in the Neurology Department of Hamburg University Hospital where he became Consultant in 2003. In 2013, he became head of the newly founded interdisciplinary Department of Paediatric and Adult Movement Disorders and Neuropsychiatry at the Institute of Neurogenetics and speaker of the Center for Rare Diseases at the University of Lübeck; since 2020, he is Director of the Institute of Systems Motor Science at the University of Lübeck.

Julius Verrel studied mathematics and cognitive neuroscience and completed a PhD in experimental psychology. He worked for several years at the Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development in Berlin. He has been working as a research scientist at the Institute of Systems Motor Science at the University of Lübeck since 2017.