Tourette Syndrome (Tor-rett)
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a nervous system disorder involving repetitive movements or unwanted sounds. TS causes people to have “tics”. Tics are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly. People who have tics cannot stop their bodies from doing these things.
Causes
Although the cause of TS is unknown, current research points to abnormalities in certain brain regions (including the basal ganglia, frontal lobes, and cortex), the circuits that connect these regions, and the neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine) responsible for communication between nerve cells (called neurons). A small number of people with Tourette syndrome have mutations involving the SLITRK1 gene, which affects how neurons grow and connect with one another,
Symptoms
- Behavioral: compulsive behavior, impulsivity, hyperactivity, meaningless repetition of own words, nonsense word repetition, repetitive movements, swearing uncontrollably, or lack of restraint
- Muscular: tic, difficulty with bodily movements, increased muscle activity, involuntary movements, involuntary muscle contraction, or jerking muscle spasms
- Mood: anxiety or apprehension
- Also common: coughing, eyelid twitching, frequent throat clearing, learning disability, repetitive blinking of eyes, or stuttering
Treatment
- Medications that block dopamine (drugs that may be used to treat psychotic and non-psychotic disorders) are the most consistently useful medications to suppress tics
- Alpha-adrenergic agonists such as clonidine and guanfacine.
- Stimulant medications such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine can lessen ADHD symptoms in people with TS without causing tics to become more severe.
- Antidepressants, specifically, serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been proven effective in some people to control symptoms of depression, OCD, and anxiety.
- Behavioral treatments such as awareness training and competing response training can be used to reduce tics.
- Psychotherapy can help individuals cope with the disorder and deal with accompanying problems or conditions, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, and OCD.
Prognosis
Improvement to the disappearance of tics beginning in the late teens. Tics may still occur, but most adults don’t need to continue medication or therapy.
Sequela
Tourette syndrome may be associated with other neurobehavioral or psychiatric disorders and examples include:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Depression
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Mood disturbances
- Panic attacks
- Self-harming behavior
- Personality disorder
- Conduct disorder
Affected Groups
Tourettes is common in children and occurs more in boys than girls
Prevention
There is no way to Prevent Tourette Syndromes
Epidemiology
Tourette syndrome is a common but underdiagnosed condition. It is three to four times more frequent in males than in females. Tourettes usually stop once reaching adult age.
History
The first reported case of Tourettes was back in 1825 by a French Doctor. In 1884 Georges Gilles de la Tourette was assigned to study patients with movement disorders. A year later, Georges Gilles de la Tourette published a Study of a Nervous Affliction of nine people with "convulsive tic disorder", concluding that a new clinical category should be defined.
Cultural Reception
Tourette's is a misunderstood and stigmatizing condition, often mentioned in the popular media. Tourette syndrome was once considered a rare and bizarre syndrome. It is no longer considered rare, but is often undetected because of the wide range of severity, with most cases classified as mild.
Type
Neurological
Origin
Natural
Cycle
Chronic, Congenital
Rarity
Common
Affected Species
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