TOURETTE SYNDROME
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Tourette Syndrome is three times more common in men
than in women. The motor tics, which usually occur in bouts several
times a day, may make it very hard for the patient to perform simple
acts like tying shoelaces, not to mention work-related tasks or
driving. In addition, Tourette Syndrome may be very detrimental socially. Some
patients have an irresistible urge to curse or use offensive racial
terms (a condition called coprolalia), though this is not under
voluntary control. Other people may not wish to be with Tourette Syndrome patients
and, even if they are accepted, Tourette Syndrome patients live in fear of shocking
others and embarrassing themselves. In time, they may close
themselves off from former friends and even relatives.
The tics of Tourette Syndrome often are said to be "involuntary," meaning that
patients cannot stop them. This is not strictly true, however. A tic
is not like a spasm, but rather a very strong urge to make a certain
motion or sound. It is more like a mosquito bite that "has" to be
scratched. Some patients are able to control their tics for several
hours, but once they are allowed to come out, they are even stronger
and last longer. Tics become worse when the patient is under stress,
and usually are much less of a problem during sleep.
Some people with Tourette Syndrome have trouble paying attention. They often seem
"grumpy" and may have periods of great sadness (depression). Tourette Syndrome
patients may think the same thoughts over and over, a sort of
"mental tic" known as an obsession. It is these features that place
Tourette Syndrome patients on the border between disease of the nervous system and
mental illness. In fact, before research showed that there are
abnormal chemical changes in the brain in Tourette Syndrome, many doctors were
convinced that Tourette Syndrome was an abnormal mental state. It still is not
clear whether these behaviors are a direct result of Tourette Syndrome itself, or a
reaction to the stress of having to live with the disease. |
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| TOURETTE SYNDROME RELATED ITEMS |
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