|
Tourette
Syndrome Tourette Syndrome is a chronic neurochemical disorder that causes involuntary movements and sounds known as tics. Tourette Syndrome is also commonly known as TS. Tourette Syndrome is identified as a syndrome because there is no known cause of the disorder. TS is not a disease. Tourette Syndrome is considered chronic because the diagnosis requires the tics to be present for at least one year. TS is described as neurochemical because it is believed to be caused by an abnormal regulation of at least one brain chemical (neurotransmitter) called dopamine. Very likely other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, are also involved.
Tics
are considered
involuntary
even though, in some cases, they can be delayed or even prevented entirely
with effort. Some
tics,
however, are performed without the person being aware of the
tic
and in other cases, even though the person is aware of the urge to perform
the
tic,
it cannot be delayed or prevented.
Delaying or “holding in”
tics
may result in a greater expression of the
tics
at a later time. The
diagnostic criteria
for TS requires the presence of both multiple motor and one or more phonic
tics
at some time, but not necessarily at the same time, lasting for a period of
at least one year A person displaying
tics
or
movements
that do not meet the criteria for TS may be diagnosed with another
Movement Disorder
or
Tic Disorder. Motor
tics
are
movements
of parts of the body such as fingers, arms, head and shoulders caused by
muscle contraction. Phonic
tics
are
sounds
that may be vocal such as squeaks, throat clearing and words or non-vocal
sounds such as sniffing and coughing. People with TS share the
common
symptom
of
tics,
however, no two people will share the exact same
tics.
Symptoms
of TS and
associated disorders
and behaviours will look different from person to person.
Symptoms
will vary from mild to severe and may disappear completely at times.
Part of a Family of Disorders: Tourette Syndrome disorder is
part of a larger spectrum of disorders known as
Movements Disorders.
Movement Disorders
include
Chorea,
Dystonia,
Myoclonus,
Seizure Disorders,
Tic Disorders,
and
Tremor. There is no evidence that
Tourette Syndrome is linked to other than
Tic Disorders. Most physicians familiar with
Movement Disorders
will quickly separate a
Tic Disorder
from other
Movement Disorders
Tic Disorders
include subtypes:
Tourette Syndrome,
and The majority of
diagnoses
of Tourette Syndrome will be made based on the history (past behaviours) of
the patient as reported by either the patient or in the case of children, by
the parents of the child.
Observations of the patient during the visit will also be used in the
diagnosis. Separating Tourette Syndrome
from other
Tic Disorders
is a matter of looking at the current diagnostic criteria of Tourette
Syndrome as defined by the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM.)
Associated Disorders: Tourette Syndrome may be
present in a person as a lone condition which may be described as “TS-Only”
or “Pure
TS” but is more often
accompanied by another diagnosable medical condition that is often referred
to as being a
co-morbid condition
or an
associated disorder. The most common
associated disorders
are
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
and
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
and the variations of these conditions. It is important to understand the conditions and the differences between the conditions and which condition a given symptom or behaviour belongs to. Treatment, whether psychological or medical, is specific to the condition.
Other: TS is believed to be
genetically transmitted. |