While there are an ample amount of mental disorders which offer interesting areas for study and research, there is no more interesting disorder than that of Tourette’s syndrome (TS). TS is a neurological disorder designated as such through the symptoms which its sufferers exhibit such as repetitive, involuntary movements which affects up to 1% of children and adults worldwide. At the early age of 1885, the first clear description of the condition was published by a young 28 year old doctor by the name of Georges Albert Édouard Brutus Gilles de la Tourette. Of specific note, the article described, “childhood onset of stereotyped, abnormal movements and vocalizations (tics), heritability, coprolalia (uncontrollable utterance of obscene/socially …show more content…
Gilles de la Tourette described a strange neurological disorder he referred to as ‘maladie des tics’. The observations which the article was based followed nine patients who continually showed various symptoms as previously described. His original hypothesis conformed to the medical comprehension of his day; expressing his belief the patients inherited a weakened nervous system, due to the immoral behaviors of previous generations. There is some debate to whether Dr. Gilles de la Tourette was the first to discover this disorder, as a previous work most commonly known as The Witches Hammer, published in 1498, is believed to be the first account of such motor and vocal tics documentation, although in its day, it was believed these symptoms were not of a physiological origin, but the work of the devil. This of course was later discounted, but offers insight into the evolution in the understanding of such …show more content…
Early studies conducted utilizing twins showed the disorders ability to pass along as an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. This means it only needed one copy of the gene to be passed in order to be expressed. More recent research suggests there may be a combination of defective genes, and when combined with certain environmental factors can lead to the expression of the disorder. The heritability of TS is estimated between 50 and 80%, which equates to about as much as other psychiatric disorders. Further genetic studies also suggest some forms of attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) may be lighter forms of Tourette’s syndrome. Gender also seems to play a role in the way the disorder is expressed. At risk males are more susceptible to exhibit tics as symptoms, while their female counterparts are more likely to exhibit obsessive compulsive behavior. More recent meta-analyses confirmed the role of specific gene polymorphism in the SLITRK1, NTN4, DRD2, DRD4 and AADAC
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Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics usually starting in childhood and often accompanied by poor impulse control (Chiu, 2013, p.405). The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the pioneering French neurologist who in 1885 first described the condition in an 86-year-old French woman (ninds.nih.gov, 2013). Tourette syndrome was once considered to be a rare a condition that causes a person to make repeated, quick movements or sounds that they cannot control. These movements or sounds are called tics, but this symptom is only present in a minority of cases.
Van Den Berg, S. M. and Others. 2012. Genetic analysis of rare disorders: bayesian estimation of twin concordance rates. Behavior genetics, 42 (5), pp. 857-865.
One out of every 360 children have Tourettes. Tourette’s is a neurological disorder, which means that it takes place in the nervous system. It affects males three to four times more than females. There’s no exact known reason as to why. Symptoms begin at ages three to nine, and typically, the first sign is excessive blinking. This
In recent years researchers have made significant advances in the field and have come up with many neuroleptic (antipsychotic) medications to treat the disorder. However along with these medical breakthroughs problems have occurred. The most severe side effect is called Tardive Dyskinesia, literally meaning "late movement disorder." (1) Coined in 1964, it is identified by the involvement of numerous "abnormal, involuntary movements of the orofacial area or extremities." . (2) More specifically, it is characterized by rocking, twisting, jerking, toe tapping, lip smacking, blinking, and most commonly an unusual movement of the tongue. . (1) (2)(3). Interestingly enough, these side effects disappear during sleep. (3)
Ergotism, a condition resulting from the consumption of ergot germ infested rye, was the cause of the symptoms exhibited by the victims of witchcraft in 1692. From June to September of 1692, two young girls, Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Parris came down with a perplexing illness, one that the local doctor eventually diagnosed as bewitchment. [6] Linda Caporael asserts ...
Tourette’s syndrome is a disorder where the affected individual will consistently exhibit “tics”. In the majority of cases these ticks are minor in character, it may just be the urge to blink, or make certain facial gestures. Less than 15% of individuals exhibit coprolalia, which is the unwarranted exclamations of profanities or other socially forbidden remarks. Perhaps those in our generation who are aware of Tourette’s syndrome have learned its symptoms through pop culture, which has glamorized (to some extent) the more severe cases of Tourette’s syndrome in YouTube videos or the animated satire of South Park. Most with Tourette’s syndrome have been diagnosed 5-8 years in childhood and experience the waning of the number and severity of tics by the time the graduate high school. For the most part, Tourette’s syndrome alone will not prevent an individual from success in the institutions of society, as it doesn’t affect the intelligence or capability of individuals. These cases, often called pure TS cases, are usually the exception. More often than not, sufferers of Tourette’s syndrome are more limited socially by common comorbid conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.
The occurrence of ADHD in one twin is more often mirrored in an identical twin who has the same genetic makeup, than in a fraternal twin whose genetics are similar but not identical. It is also believed that if a parent, uncle, or grandparent has ADHD, it is more likely their family may develop it as well. No gene has been discovered that directly relates to the disorder. MRI studies comparing the brains of children with and without the condition have shown that children with ADHD have weaker brain activity in the frontal area of the brain when responding to tasks that require inhibition. Because of this, it is thought that ADHD affects certain sections of the frontal cortex, parietal lobe, and possibly parts of the cerebellum.
"OCD and Genetics." About.com Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is placed on the lowest level of spectrum of the effects of personality disorders and mental illnesses. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD, is a...
...t agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound as if it were to announce the approach of the demonical corpse which I had so miserably given life.”
quire medical attention. Some cases aren't inherited and are called sporadic TS. There are no absolute figures that exist as far as the number of people in the world suffering from Tourette's because many people living with Tourette's have yet to be d
Due to the intense nature of the physical symptoms of PD and its impact of one’s life, various researchers has identified different contributory factors of this disorder. Some studies indicated hyperventilation, over activity in the noradrenergic neurotransmitter system, interceptive classical conditioning, anxiety sensitivity, catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations and safety behaviors are potential factors of PD (Davey, 2014). While, other researchers have stated PD is possibly caused by genetic predisposition, abnormalities in serotonin, and early developmental factors (Sansone et al., 1998). As the etiology of PD remains unknown and further studies are being conducted, it is agreed upon the mental health community that biological, psychological and cognitive factors contribute to the etiology and maintenance of PD.
Syracuse University Press, 2002. 221-223. The. Sidky, H. Witchcraft, lycanthropy, drugs, and disease: an anthropological study of the European witch-hunts. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 1997.
Tourette's syndrome is a hereditary movement disorder. Its symptoms are by multiple motor and vocal tics (repeated muscle contractions). It is during the childhood and adolescence in which Tourette’s syndrome and its symptoms develop, usually between the ages...