TikTok could be to blame for rise in tic severity in teens with Tourette Syndrome

By Joe Morgan via SWNS

TikTok could be to blame for a rise in tic severity in teens with Tourette syndrome, a study has found.

Increasing social media use among teens and young adults has led to a possible link with worsening neurodevelopmental disorders.

The study, which studied chronic tic disorders including Tourette syndrome, examined 20 teenagers and young adults aged between 11 and 21 years old.

Tics are characterized by sudden, uncontrollable movements and sounds.

While most improve over time or stop completely, they are normally the most severe from around eight years old into the teenage years.

Researchers studying young people with tic disorders noticed a concerning rise of social media during the pandemic and a parallel increase in tic disorders.

TikTok, which saw a steep rise in use during lockdown, is now the most popular social media platform among young people globally.

Of the group studied, 65 percent of the participants reported using social media an average of six hours per day, with 90 percent of the participants reporting they used social media more during the pandemic than previously.

In addition, the survey showed that 85 percent indicated their tic frequencies worsened during the pandemic, and 50 percent noted that social media had negatively impacted their tics.

Researchers found a significant correlation between an increase in tic severity and reduced quality of life with increased social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, researchers asked participants to rank their tic severity using a scale of zero to six with zero being least severe and six being most severe.

On average, those who reported no increase in social media use ranked their tic frequency during COVID-19 as four.

Those who reported increased social media use ranked their tic frequency during COVID-19 as five.

Dr. Jessica Frey, at the University of Florida, said: "Given the known increases in social media use during the pandemic, as well as the parallel increase in tic disorders that we have seen in our clinic, we investigated whether there was any correlation between social media use and tic symptoms.

“Our results have begun to shed light on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and increased social media use may be having on teens and young adults with tic disorders.

"More research is needed to better identify the exact stressors that are leading to more severe tics so we can work to reduce stressors for those who are experiencing them.”

The study was presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 73rd Annual Meeting.