OPTA 222 (Tourette Syndrome)
What is Tourette Syndrome (T.S.)?
- Neurological disorder
- Characterized by repetitive movements and vocalizations called tics, Tics can be simple like grunts or throat clearing, Or tics can be more complex like coordinated patterns of movement
- 200,000 Americans have T.S.
Cause and Demographics
- Average age of onset is between ages 3 and 9
- Males are more likely to have T.S.
- Specific cause is unknown: Thought to be brain abnormalities which could relate to neurotransmitters or disfunction in the basal ganglia
- Possibly genetic
Signs and Symptoms
- Tics often worse during excitement or anxiety provoking situations
- Tics can include: head and shoulder jerking, grunting, facial grimacing, blinking, eye movements, jumping, hopping, bending twisting, saying words or phrases repetitively
- Does not impair intelligence
Diagnosis
- Presence of tics for 1 year
- No blood tests or other scans
Course of condition
- Chronic condition
- Most often tics are at their worst in teens and then decrease into adulthood
- Tics come and go and can increase or decrease in severity
- Tics often begin in head and neck area and move to other areas of the body
Treatment
- Neuroleptics (antipsychotics) are most common treatment: Same drug as used to treat some psychotic disorders
- Behavioral treatments:Awareness training (see video and know description), Competing response training (see video and know description), Cognitive behavioral intervention, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tQVTVvAqGs
Therapy
- awareness training Learning and reconizing you tics and then managing trigger
- competing response ( doing an oposing resonse to you tic)
- Emotional regulation
- Envirment
- others nit responding to tic