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independent, free-of-charge event, online registration mandatory
💡 Bookmark: the 17th International Conference on Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders will take place in Athens, Greece, on 21-23 May 2025.
This page is being continuously updated, keep checking!
Quick overview: event format & registration options
conference package
conference event with separate registration option available
independent event
21-23 May
Main conference
Gives access to all sessions, both BT workshops (beginner & advanced participants) and the TTAG meeting
21 May
Behavioural therapy workshops (2) in English, for beginner & advanced participants
If you are Interested in attending only the BT workshops, you may register separately. Access to the conference is not included.
21 May
If you are Interested in attending only the TTAG meeting, you may register separately. Access to the conference is not included.
20 May
TS-school; half-day training course on Tourette Syndrome
independent event
19 May
"Tics and Tourette at school"
Event dedicated to teachers & educators
TBA
VENUE
Eugenides Foundation
Conference centre
View on map
visit websiteA conference centre of high standards with 60 years of experience in hosting conferences and events.
The Eugenides Foundation's technologically advanced Conference Centre is part of a landmark building for the area of Paleo Faliro, on Syggrou Avenue, just a few minutes from the centre of Athens.
Every year it hosts more than 70 international and national conferences, making its Conference Centre a reference point and attracting important personalities of the Greek and international scientific, technical, and cultural community.
Over the last 20 years it has hosted more than 1,400 international and Greek conferences and events with more than 470,000 participants.
Finally, one of the largest and best equipped Planetariums in the World and the new Science and Technology Centre promise delegates a unique journey into science and space.
preliminary
Programme
The preliminary programme below does not feature —for now— the assigned slots for oral presentations and poster rounds; rest assured, we will soon post updates!
Conference
09:00-12:00
Workshops: Behavioural therapy for tic disorders
(Workshop parallel to TTAG session 11:00-13:00)
Workshop in English for participants with basic training:
"Basic principles and behavioural techniques for treating tic disorders"
View programme
Time TBA: Diagnostics/Assessment
Time TBA: Psychoeducation
Time TBA: Habit reversal training (HRT)
Time TBA: Break ☕
Time TBA: Exposure and response prevention (ERP)
Time TBA: Function-based interventions
independent event option
11:00-13:00
(Session parallel to BT workshop 09:00-12:00)
Patient associations meeting organised by Tics and Tourette Across the Globe (TTAG)
independent event option
14:00-17:00
Workshops: Behavioural therapy for tic disorders
(Workshop parallel to ENIGMA-TS talk, time TBA)
Workshop in English for advanced participants:
"Why and how to integrate acceptance in psychological treatments of tic disorders"
View programme
Time TBA: Introduction: creating acceptance through information
Time TBA: ACT interventions: towards an accepting attitude
Time TBA: Cognitive behavioural interventions: restructuring negative thoughts
Time TBA: Schema interventions: dealing with the impact of adverse childhood experiences
Time TBA: A systemic approach: engaging the system to enhance acceptance
Time TBA: Break ☕
After the break, cases will be discussed in groups around these topics
independent event option
14:00-14:45
(Lecture parallel to BT workshop 14:00-17:00)
ENIGMA-TS
Enhancing neuroimaging genetics through meta-analysis
(Session followed by ENIGMA-TS meeting)
Speaker:
Moderated by: TBA
18:00-19:00 (onwards!)
Opening ceremony
I. "If a tree tics in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it have a tic disorder?"
Selection bias and the natural history of tics.
Keynote lecture (45') followed by discussion (30')
Speaker:
Moderated by: TBA
II. Professor Mary Robertson Award; winner & oral presentation
Mary Robertson travel grant winners
III. Cocktail time; getting together again!
07:00
Morning run tradition continues; pack your running shoes!
More info by our Chief Track & Field Officer: Nanette Mol Debes
Destination: Esplanade-SNFCC Park
Details TBA
09:00-11:45
Welcome message
Symposium session on ADHD
- ADHD & tics: clinical overview
- What’s new in the treatment of ADHD (including focus on new pharmacotherapy)
- Sleep issues in TS/ADHD and neurodevelopmental disorders
- Pathophysiology
- Comorbid ADHD in CBT for tics: studies & clinical experience
11:45-12:15
General Assembly
16:15-17:00
TS-underrepresented zones around the world:
Greece, India
Speakers:
Anastasia Dougali, Greece
John Vijay Saga, India
Suhas Chandran, India
(Virtual participation)
From 20:00
optional event
Social event-dinner at Ble Azure
💡 As this is an optional event, you can get your tickets at any time, even after you have registered for the conference. The social event is open to non-conference attendees as well.
09:00-09:15
Welcome address by TTAG (Tics and Tourette Across the Globe)
09:15-10.15
Is the term "neurodiversity" helpful within Tourette syndrome?
Symposium session on neurodiversity
Speakers: TBA
Moderated by: TBA
10:15-12:15
Session on TS pathology
Speakers:
Christos Ganos
Juan Carlos Baldermann
16:45-17:15
Closing ceremony
Best poster & best oral presentation awards
ESSTS Conference 2026 announcement
SUBMISSIONS
Basic and clinical scientists, clinicians, PhD students, post-doctoral researchers, residents, fellows and other professionals from around the world working in all areas associated with Tourette Syndrome, tic and related disorders, are invited to submit abstracts to be presented as posters* or oral presentations, as well as abstracts with a clinical case video (reserved for the clinical rounds session).
*Poster-presenting authors may opt to present their work on stage, –as in Brussels and Varese– (additional time will be offered per poster in Athens!), or the traditional, "poster (paper) on display" format.
This year, both posters and oral presentations will be made available to the audience in digital format only.
The authors may submit their abstracts by 1 September 2021. They will be notified by 5 September 2021 regarding the format of their presentation, e-poster (+ optional audio file) or oral presentation-, and will have to send their material by 15 September 2021.
💡 2 important dates to bookmark:
Submission deadline: Sunday, 2 March 2025 (midnight 🦉 PDT)
Authors get notified on assigned format by Friday, 7 March, 2025 (midnight 🦉 CET)
⚠️ Registration before submission:
If you plan to submit an abstract you, –or at least one person from your group–, will need to register for the conference before the submission deadline.
In the rare event of unsuccessful submissions, authors may request a full registration refund until 2 weeks after the early bird deadline (Sunday, 9 March 2025).
Apply for a Mary Robertson Travel Grant
CRITERIA & INFO
- Please only apply for a travel grant if you are prepared to travel to Athens on 21-23 May 2025 to present your research. Successful applicants will receive the MR travel grant within 72 hours after the Athens conference.
- You will need to complete the relevant application fields below as a part of your abstract submission process. (You will not be able to apply after your abstract submission has been confirmed.)
- You are the first author on at least one submitted abstract.
- There is no age limit for applicants, but your current professional status falls within the... "in training" scope.
- Successful Mary Robertson travel grant applicants will be notified by Friday, 7 March 2025 (midnight CET)—also the deadline for announcing the assigned presentation format—.
⚠️ Any applications containing AI-generated content will be eliminated.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS
Please, select a topic from the list below. The abstract text should not exceed 2,500-3,000 characters.
The final assignment, (poster or oral presentation), will be made by the scientific review committee and all authors will be notified by email by Friday, 7 March 2025 (midnight CET).
All abstracts will be published in the ESSTS Conference proceedings as an Abstract Book, –distributed to all attendees– and upon completion of the meeting, on the ESSTS website in a digital form.
Authors may opt in the submission form below to have their abstract published on F1000 Research.
The final assignment, (poster or oral presentation), will be made by the scientific review committee and all authors will be notified by email by Friday, 7 March 2025 (midnight CET).
All abstracts will be published in the ESSTS Conference proceedings as an Abstract Book, –distributed to all attendees– and upon completion of the meeting, on the ESSTS website in a digital form.
Authors may opt in the submission form below to have their abstract published on F1000 Research.
Junior investigators who submit innovative work also have the opportunity to be considered for the Professor Mary Robertson Award for Research Contribution in conjunction with Tourettes Action UK.
Abstracts may be submitted in the following fields of study:
- Genetics and aetiology of Tourette syndrome and related disorders
- Neurophysiology and neuroimaging
- Clinical aspects including comorbidities
- Treatment
- Functional tic-like movements
- Other
- Neurophysiology and neuroimaging
- Clinical aspects including comorbidities
- Treatment
- Functional tic-like movements
- Other
To prepare your abstract, follow the instructions on the template below.
For poster presentations:
- All posters must be in English language.
- To ensure a visually optimised experience, we offer authors the option to present their ePoster (PDF or Power Point format) on stage, within an allocated time of 5 minutes (vs 3 minutes in Varese in 2024). You may indicate your preference in the respective submission form field below.
- There will be a separate poster round for authors who opt for (and are successfully assigned one) onstage presentations: on Thursday, 22 May 2025 at 12:15-13:00.
- Taking into consideration the feedback and suggestions post-Varese 2024 meeting, we are taking off the pressure of the tightly-timed poster rounds, by introducing an "open tour" format, integrated into extended afternoon coffee breaks.
- All poster-presenting authors must bring their (paper) poster to the conference venue. The preferred poster format is A0 portrait layout (841 x 1189 mm). This applies to authors presenting their poster on stage as well.
I am ready to submit!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS
There will be the usual interactive video & clinical round session on the second day of the conference (22 May).
It will offer us the opportunity to discuss collegially several challenging, uncommon and overall didactic clinical cases coming from all over our respective centres in Europe and beyond. You are invited to contribute to this session by submitting an abstract with a clinical case of tic (or hyperkinetic) movement disorder that you wish to present and discuss with colleagues.
It will offer us the opportunity to discuss collegially several challenging, uncommon and overall didactic clinical cases coming from all over our respective centres in Europe and beyond. You are invited to contribute to this session by submitting an abstract with a clinical case of tic (or hyperkinetic) movement disorder that you wish to present and discuss with colleagues.
We are seeking well-described cases, –ideally presented with a video–, which pose diagnostic or management questions or present challenges with a key learning point. We will allocate 7–8 minutes for the presentation of each chosen case, which will be followed by 3–5 minutes of discussion with the co-chairs/audience.
Please submit your anonymised case(s) by clicking the button below (they will be reviewed by session chair, Dr Tammy Hedderly) in the format of a short abstract in a Word document (max. 400 words), or ideally as a PowerPoint presentation with a maximum of 5 slides.
This should summarise the clinical history, physical examination, investigation and management to date and conclude with questions or learning points. To allow for the preparation of a successful session, we may ask you to discuss the video of the patient in advance (where available).
If you are not asked to present, please bring your case to the conference, as there will be other opportunities to show cases and to discuss them with colleagues.
If you are not asked to present, please bring your case to the conference, as there will be other opportunities to show cases and to discuss them with colleagues.
I am ready to submit!
Submission deadline: Sunday, 2 March 2025 (midnight 🦉 PDT)
Eligibility
All junior researchers, excluding research heads, senior/career level clinicians and previous winners of the award.
The Professor Mary Robertson Award for Research Contribution will be presented on behalf of Tourettes Action UK at the opening ceremony of the conference in Athens, on Wednesday, 21 May 2025. The award will be made in honour of Professor Mary Robertson and includes a prize of £250.
She is the Life President of ESSTS and a Patron of Tourettes Action UK.
She is the Life President of ESSTS and a Patron of Tourettes Action UK.
-Original research of any kind on the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, 8,000 words excluding references. Shorter submissions are acceptable, longer entries will be excluded.
-Published or unpublished.
-Work should also be submitted as an abstract for presentation (see procedure by clicking on the "Abstracts" tab above). Please include the relevant abstract(s) with your entry.
-Entries can include work presented at previous ESSTS meetings, but should also cover new ground in an abstract submitted for the 2025 meeting.
-The winner will be invited to make a platform presentation, if not already selected through the abstract acceptance process.
-Must be written by the entrant with a statement indicating the role of other members of the research team, if applicable.
-Published or unpublished.
-Work should also be submitted as an abstract for presentation (see procedure by clicking on the "Abstracts" tab above). Please include the relevant abstract(s) with your entry.
-Entries can include work presented at previous ESSTS meetings, but should also cover new ground in an abstract submitted for the 2025 meeting.
-The winner will be invited to make a platform presentation, if not already selected through the abstract acceptance process.
-Must be written by the entrant with a statement indicating the role of other members of the research team, if applicable.
Senior members – please distribute to your juniors.
If you have queries please contact Dr Jeremy Stern, at jstern@tourettes-action.org.uk
I am ready to submit!
REGISTRATION
Registration rates & options
(unchanged since Brussels 2023)
I. Conference registration
Offers access to all lectures, both BT workshops & TTAG meeting.
The ESSTS member rates apply to all those who will have become ESSTS members for the calendar year 2025.
Along with the ...more attractive registration fees, you greatly contribute to keeping the Society alive and allowing it to grow. 🙏
If you wish to become an ESSTS member, you may add your membership for 2025 directly when you register for the meeting.
Along with the ...more attractive registration fees, you greatly contribute to keeping the Society alive and allowing it to grow. 🙏
If you wish to become an ESSTS member, you may add your membership for 2025 directly when you register for the meeting.
(To view "member" rates, simply click on the respective button)
Senior ESSTS members
EARLY BIRD
until 9 March 2025
(midnight pdT)
(midnight pdT)
€370
Junior* ESSTS members
EARLY BIRD
until 9 March 2025
(midnight pdT)
(midnight pdT)
€210
*(MD/PhD students, postdocs, interns, residents, nurses, patient advocacy groups)
Senior ESSTS members
REGULAR RATES
€475
Junior* ESSTS members
REGULAR RATES
€275
*(MD/PhD students, postdocs, interns, residents, nurses, patient advocacy groups)
Senior participants
EARLY BIRD
until 9 March 2025
(midnight pdT)
(midnight pdT)
€425
Junior* participants
EARLY BIRD
until 9 March 2025
(midnight pdT)
(midnight pdT)
€255
*(MD/PhD students, postdocs, interns, residents, nurses, patient advocacy groups)
Senior participants
REGULAR RATES
€530
Junior* participants
REGULAR RATES
€310
*(MD/PhD students, postdocs, interns, residents, nurses, patient advocacy groups)
II. Behavioural Therapy workshops in English: independent event registration
Offers access only to the selected workshop(s); available option for those participants who do not wish to attend the entire conference.
Workshop in English for participants with basic training (3 hours)
Wednesday, 21 May: 09:00-12:00
€70
Workshop in English for participants with advanced training (3 hours)
Wednesday, 21 May: 14:00-17:00
€70
Workshops x 2 pack
Attend both workshops, –basic & advanced– (3 hours each)
€120
III. Patient associations & advocacy groups meeting: independent event registration
Offers access only to the specific event; available option for those participants who do not wish to attend the entire conference.
IV. Social event (optional)
Social event-dinner
Venue: Ble Azure
Thursday, 22 May 2025, from 19.45 CEST
Senior participants:
€90
Junior* participants:
€65
*(MD/PhD/MSc students, postdocs, interns, residents, nurses, patient advocacy groups)
⚠️ Kindly note that we shall not be able to accommodate last-minute dinner registrations; if you wish to attend our social event, thank you for registering by Sunday, 11 May, at the latest.
Private screening at the Eugenides Foundation new digital planetarium
We continue the recent years' museum & cultural tradition reserved for our social event attendees; enjoy a unique show in one of the largest and best digital planetaria in the world!
Registration guidelines
Step 1: Register and purchase your ticket(s).
Use our online registration forms below to select your event(s), enter your personal details and proceed with payment.
Use our online registration forms below to select your event(s), enter your personal details and proceed with payment.
Step 2: Conference confirmation & invoice
You will receive a confirmation email and a detailed invoice once your registration form(s) and payment have reached us.
Kindly note that if you have opted for payment via bank transfer this may take several days and that payment cannot be confirmed before receipt.
You may contact us separately if you require a custom invoice to submit to your institution for reimbursement purposes.
You will receive a confirmation email and a detailed invoice once your registration form(s) and payment have reached us.
Kindly note that if you have opted for payment via bank transfer this may take several days and that payment cannot be confirmed before receipt.
You may contact us separately if you require a custom invoice to submit to your institution for reimbursement purposes.
Abstract authors: Authors (or at least one person from their group) who submit abstracts will need to register for the conference before the submission deadline, 2 March 2025. In the rare event of an unsuccessful submission, authors may request a full registration refund until 2 weeks after the early bird deadline, –9 March 2025–.
Refund policy: If for reasons unrelated to public health measures you are unable to attend and need to apply for a refund, please consult our refund policy page.
Conference cancellation: In the unfortunate event of another conference cancellation due to restrictions imposed by the host country, ESSTS will fully reimburse all registered attendees.
Ready?
-Different types of conference tickets available within the form below, including social event.
Register for the conference & social event
Conference events with separate registration option available
IF you are NOT attending the main conference:
Register for the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy workshops
IF you are NOT attending the main conference:
Register for the TTAG meeting (advocacy groups & patient associations)
When in Athens...
Accommodation & orientation
For those who have attended one of our meetings in the recent years; do expect this section to become enriched with suggestions, custom city maps and detailed transport instructions.
Listed as usual, the jetlag-proof way! 😉
Listed as usual, the jetlag-proof way! 😉
As in Lausanne (2022) and Brussels (2023), our upcoming meeting will be held at a non–hotel-affiliated congress centre. To facilitate attendees with planning and arrangements, we have prepared the following map featuring the closest accommodation options to the venue.
Kindly note that these hotels are merely suggestions, based on proximity and positive/acceptable reviews.
ESSTS is not in a position to vouch for all these venues and despite our efforts, we have not been (yet) offered preferential rates for individual bookings.
We have visited and stayed at Earos Athens Urban Living and Lux & Easy (on Syggrou ave.), and we would urge you to consider either of these options. Both hotels are within a 25' walking distance from the venue, 15' via direct bus , 5'-7' via taxi. If you are certain that you will be attending our conference, please consider making reservations as soon as possible!
Open the legend of the map below to view the list of hotels, the conference venue and social event location.
Click ↓ to open the map legend
II. TS-school
💡 As this is an optional event, you can get your tickets at any time, even after you have registered for the conference.
Tuesday, 11 June, 13.00-18.00
This is our 3rd edition of the TS-school, a training course for TS beginners. The course is open to clinicians (physicians, psychologists, psychotherapists, nurses, medical students) and other professionals who are interested in the clinical aspects of TS.
The presentations and the Q&A session will be held in English.
All clinically relevant topics will be covered, including:
Diagnosis and definition of tic disorders
Nature of tics
Course of TS
Comorbidities
Differential diagnoses
Assessments
Pathophysiology including genetics
Treatment
view training course programme & lecturers
click to view PDF version
13:00-13:05
Welcome
Board/Lecturers
13:05-14:00
Assessment, including differential diagnoses
Natalia Szejko (Canada)
14:00-14:45
Comorbidity
Christelle Nilles (France)
14:45-15:15
Coffee break
(foyer area)
15:15-16:15
Treatment: pharmacological treatment, psychological intervention, deep brain stimulation
Kirsten Müller-Vahl (Germany)
16:15-17:15
How to answer FAQ from patients and families on etiology and pathophysiology of tic disorders
Tammy Hedderly (UK)
17:15-18:00
Cases: assessment and treatment
Nanette Mol Debes (Denmark)
Mercoledì 11 giugno, 13:00-18:00
La TS-school è un evento satellite rispetto alla 16ª Conferenza Internazionale su Disturbi da tic e Sindrome di Tourette.
Submit your abstract
Submit your e-Poster / Oral presentation
Submit a clinical case
Professor Mary Robertson Award submissions
Hotel reservation request
NAVIGATE! →
