Gilles is in the air

About Gilles is in the air

A podcast series hosted by the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome (ESSTS). We discuss the latest findings on Tourette syndrome, share stories, and create connections. Every month we will talk about tics, associated comorbidities and lived experiences; our episodes are aimed at researchers, clinicians, patients and their families. We interview authors whose papers have caught our attention, discuss hot topics that may seem controversial, share different ways of educating the community on TS and hopefully, we will all learn something about Tourette that we had yet to discover. So please, tune in, turn up the volume, and keep on listening… 🎧 And if you find the episode interesting, hit subscribe and please share! essts.org (https://essts.org) A topic to suggest? An idea to share? Get in touch with Christelle Nilles, our Podcaster-in-chief, at secretary@essts.org!

Publisher

ESSTS

Category

health & fitness · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 May 2023

Latest episode

13 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

30 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Sept 2026

   Sleep disorders in Tourette syndrome

   In this episode of “Gilles in the Air,” our host Christelle Nilles interviews Dr Andrea E. Cavanna about his systematic review on sleep disorders in tic disorders, published in Journal of Personalized Medicine. Reviewing 10 studies (mostly cross-sectional, with both subjective and objective measures), they highlight that clinically significant sleep disturbances affect roughly 40–65% of patients, with registry data suggesting 6–7-fold higher odds of insomnia versus the general population. Common problems include prolonged sleep latency, night waking and sleep fragmentation, parasomnias, and behavioural sleep issues such as bedtime resistance; daytime sleepiness is also reported. Sleep phenotypes appear to shift with age. Sleep disturbance may even precede tic onset. While sleep problems correlate with comorbid ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression, they can also occur in “pure” Tourette presentations. The discussion emphasizes clinic screening with sleep questionnaires, targeted objective testing, and potential utility of CBT-I. Research priorities include longitudinal studies, multimodal assessment, treatment trials, and controlling for medication effects. Andrea E. Cavanna, MD PhD FRCP FANPA SFHEA, is Consultant in Behavioural Neurology at the Department of Neuropsychiatry, National Centre for Mental Health, and Associate Professor in Neuropsychiatry at University of Birmingham (United Kingdom) and University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan (Italy). He is Lead Consultant for the specialist Tourette syndrome clinic at the Department of Neuropsychiatry, Birmingham, and Director of the MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry at the University of Birmingham.

2. 

   2 Apr 2026

   From TS diagnosis to disclosure: how do you share your story? Part II

   " ...and it was so weird that something I was trying to erase all my life, I had to suddenly defend it" In this compelling second part, Salomé, an artist from France, shares her profound experiences of living with the condition and how it has shaped her life, relationships, and self-awareness. Salomé candidly discusses the challenges and growth that come with embracing her diagnosis, providing insight into the nuanced realities of managing Tourette Syndrome—an aspect that's often misunderstood by society at large. In our conversation with Salomé, we explore the intersections of living with Tourette Syndrome and maintaining a career as an artist, offering a deeply personal perspective on navigating societal expectations and personal identity. She opens up about the misconceptions surrounding Tourette Syndrome, particularly the misbelief that it's primarily characterized by the utterance of "rude words" as she puts it. Instead, she offers a revealing look at the variety of her symptoms, vocal tics and hyper-focus, and how these influence her artistic practice. We also discuss the role that family plays in forging an understanding of the condition, and the unique challenges of conveying the reality of living with Tourette to romantic partners and colleagues. Dive into this episode for an intimate look at resilience and authenticity in the face of adversity. Thank you Salomé for your engaging narrative! Website

3. 

   2 Apr 2026

   From TS diagnosis to disclosure: how do you share your story? Part I

   In the latest episode of "Gilles is in the Air," we delve into the nuanced experiences of individuals living with Tourette Syndrome. This episode, the first of a two-part series, welcomes Belinda from the UK and France, and Belén from Argentina who lives is Spain. Through candid conversations, our guests share their personal journeys with Tourette Syndrome, discussing their initial diagnoses, the social challenges they've encountered, and how they've navigated sharing their experiences with others. María Belén Prieto is an Argentine psychologist living in Spain, specialised in Tourette syndrome and its common comorbidities, including ADHD. As an adult with Tourette and ADHD herself, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, fostering understanding, empathy, and empowerment within the community. She is a proud mother of twins and a passionate traveler, values that deeply shape her perspective on resilience and connection.María Belén is a member of the steering committee of Tics and Tourette Across the Globe (URL) and actively contributes to awareness, advocacy, and education at both national and international levels. Through her platform Voces del Tourette, she shares psychoeducational resources, promotes visibility, and amplifies the voices of individuals and families living with Tourette. She is deeply committed to supporting the Tourette community through education, collaboration, and compassionate outreach. Website | info@vocesdeltourette.com Belinda Johnston grew up in the West Midlands of the United Kingdom. A 2017 Joint Honours French and Italian graduate of the University of Leeds, UK, she now works as an Event Coordinator in Paris, France, where she has lived since 2018. In her spare time, she enjoys running, yoga, cinema, singing and is an active member of the local Church of England Christian community.Belinda has lived with Tourette’s Syndrome all her life. She was officially diagnosed at the age of 5, in the UK, in the year 2000. She also has ADHD and suffers from anxiety. She has previously battled with depression.Belinda tries to support the Tourette’s community where she can, taking part in her local hospital’s neurological department’s research projects and generally talking about Tourette’s and what it is really like to live with it. In 2018, she published an interview with BBC3’s MisFITS Like US’s Terrina Bibb on UK Tourette’s charity, Tourette’s Action’s blog. You can read it here.

Who has been a guest on Gilles is in the air

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Noa Benaroya Milstein
• Tamara Pringsheim
• Dr Anna Castrioto

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

20

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Gilles is in the air

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.