Tourette syndrome was first described in 1885 by the French neurologist Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette. The first case he documented was that of an 86-year-old French noblewoman named Marquise de Dampierre. She had experienced motor tics and vocalizations since the age of 15 and had sought treatment from many doctors without success.

Dr. Tourette was the first to recognize the constellation of symptoms that are now associated with Tourette syndrome, including both motor and vocal tics, and he coined the term "maladie des tics" or "tic illness".

Since then, Tourette syndrome has been extensively studied and better understood, and is now recognized as a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. It is estimated to affect around 1% of the population and can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life.