Advice and information on tuberous sclerosis complex

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an inheritable condition, caused by a fault in one of two genes involved in the regulation of cell growth. As a result the chemical ‘brakes’ are taken off in a key molecular pathway, resulting in extra growth of normal tissue, in the form of benign tumours. These typically occur in the brain, kidneys, skin, lungs and other organs, to varying and sometimes devastating and unpredictable effect. In the brain they may be a focus for epilepsy. Other significant symptoms include autism, learning disability and behavioural difficulties.