Signs of Tourette syndrome

Description

A disorder of the nervous system that causes a person to make repeated and uncontrolled movements and sounds called tics. Patients may twitch, shrug their shoulders, blink, jerk their head, or rarely yell out curse words. About 1-2% of Americans have the disorder. There is no cure although 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 childhod and consist of blinking, head jerking, shoulder shrugging, abnormal finger movements, yelling, hiccups, throat clearing, barking, touching themselve or other people, obscene gestures, repeating words or prases, cursing.

Tests

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.

Treatment

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 atimulants 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 neurotransmitter may be recommended.