INFORMATION ON TOURETTE SYNDROME

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. Tourette syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by the presence of multiple physical tics and at least one vocal tic; these tics usually wax and wane. Tourette's is defined as part of a spectrum of tic disorders, which includes transient and chronic tics. Tourette's was once considered a rare and bizarre syndrome, most often associated with the exclamation of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks . However, this symptom is present in fewer than 15% of people with Tourette's

SYNONYMS OF TOURETTE SYNDROME

1. Tourette's Disorder
2. Tourette's Spectrum Disorder
3. Chronic Motor Tic
4. Chronic Multiple Tics
5. Gilles de la Tourette's disease
6. Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome
7. Habit Spasms
8. Maladie de Tics
 

CAUSES OF TOURETTE SYNDROME

1. Such as emotional and physical health or external stress, may also contribute to the development of Tourette's syndrome.
2. Genetic studies indicate tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome, are inherited as a dominant gene(s) that may produce varying symptoms in different family members.
3. The sex of the child also influences the expression of the gene(s). The chance that the child of a person with Tourette syndrome will have the disorder is at least three times higher for a son than for a daughter.
4. Some researchers also claim that Tourette syndrome patients have low levels of serotonin, which has been linked with some of the symptoms of Tourette syndrome including obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and sleep disturbances.

SYMPTOMS OF TOURETTE SYNDROME

Common examples of Tourette Syndrome include eye twitching/blinking, facial grimacing, head jerking, shoulder shrugging, jumping, kicking, finger movements, jaw snapping, tooth clicking, frowning and touching people. Vocal tics include throat clearing, hissing, yelping, sniffing, grunting, tongue clicking, uttering words or phrases inappropriately, repeating the same phrase several times.

Other’s are:-

1. Repeated involuntary movements
2. Uncontrollable vocal sounds
3. Tics, Facial tics, Motor tics
4. Eye blinking, Head jerking, Neck stretching
5. Foot stamping, Body twisting, Body bending

DIAGNOSIS OF TOURETTE SYNDROME

ourette syndrome is sometimes difficult to diagnose as they can come and go and may be suppressed during examinations. There is no laboratory test for tic disorders or Tourette syndrome. Diagnosis is based on the presence of both movement and vocal tics for at least a year.
The diagnosis is made based upon a history of persistent, frequently-changing motor and vocal tics which develop during childhood.
Physicians may do some screening tests or other medical testing, just to rule out other conditions if they are suspected.
Two commonly missed diagnoses in children with tics are autism and stereotypic movement disorder, and doctors who are not well versed in tic disorders may mistakenly label these conditions as Tourette's disorder.

TREATMENT OF TOURETTE SYNDROME

People with life-disrupting symptoms can often suppress them with one of several drugs that affect the chemistry of the brain, including haloperidol , clonidine, pimozide , fluphenazine, clomipramine, and fluoxetine.
The medications have side effects that themselves can be life-disrupting, like somnolence, and some people with Tourette's refuse medication, finding its symptoms less troublesome than those caused by drugs.
Family counseling and psychotherapy may be useful to help cope with adjustment problems associated with the social stigma common in more severe cases.
Main aim of Tourette syndrome is not to completely eliminate all the tics and other symptoms that a patient has, but to achieve control of the symptoms so that the patient can function as normally as possible. Here we visit the traditional, alternative, and progressive treatment possibilities for Tourette syndrome.