Tourette syndrome (repetitive involuntary movements, vocalizations)

Description A disorder of the nervous system that causes a person to make repeated and...

Description

A disorder of the nervous system that causes a person to make repeated and uncontrolled movements and sounds called tics. People with this condition may twitch, shrug their shoulders, blink, jerk their head, utter grunts or make strange sounds, or even to yell out curse words. Many children with Tourette's will outgrow the disorder. The symptoms appear in childhood and in about half disappear in the late teen years.

Symptoms

Symptoms typically begin in childhood and consist of blinking, head jerking, shoulder shrugging, abnormal finger movements, yelling, hiccups, throat clearing, barking, touching themselves or other people, obscene gestures, repeating words or phrases, cursing.

Tests

Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment

Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. No specific tests are required. To make the diagnosis a person must have motor and vocal tics, have the tics nearly every day for at least a year, the tics must have begun before age 18, and the tics cannot be caused by any drugs or other diseases.

Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Neurology, Pediatrics, Family Practice, Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatry

Treatment

For those who do not outgrow the condition, there is no cure for Tourette's syndrome. Medications can be used to decrease the symptoms. The most common are antipsychotics, and antidepressants. When symptoms of ADHD co-exist stimulants may be used. Cognitive behavioral therapy may be used to help the patient function better in society. When the disorder is severe, surgery to implant a wires that stimulate specific parts of the brain may be recommended.