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What is Tourette's syndrome?
Tourette's syndrome is a common childhood onset hereditary neurological and behavioral disorder.
What are its symptoms?
Its symptoms and associated disorders include:
- Motor or vocal tics
- Psychiatric disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Are there different types of Tourette's syndrome?
The spectrum of Tourette's syndrome is actually quite varied.
- Some patients can have a transient tic disorder that lasts less than a year and disappears
- Others can have the full-blown neurobehavioral disorder characterized by all of the features noted above and others as well.
- Some patients have chronic multiple motor tic disorder without vocal tics, while others will have vocal tics without motor tics.
- While some patients have a very mild form of Tourette's syndrome, many of them may have it severe enough to interfere with their ability to participate in school, work, and other activities.
What causes Tourette's?
The cause of this disease is unknown and the genetic basis of the disease also remains a mystery.
How is it treated?
There are several medical treatments for Tourette's syndrome, including:
- Clonidine
- Dopamine antagonist agents
Although they can be helpful in controlling tics and the behavioral disorders, medications may be difficult to tolerate and only provide partial relief. Newer treatments are currently under investigation.
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