What makes me tic?:
An investigation into the possible causes of Tourette syndrome and its symptoms
Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, commonly known as “Tourette syndrome,” “Tourette’s,” or simply “TS,” is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder producing sudden, repetitive movements and sounds, known as “tics,” which are beyond an individual’s control. The condition is named after French physician Georges Gilles de la Tourette, who first published an account of its symptoms in the 1880s (Felling & Singer, 2011, p. 12387). Once considered a rare disorder, Tourette syndrome is currently estimated to occur in mild to severe forms in as much as 2% of the population (Bohlhalter et al., 2006, p. 2029). Today, Tourette syndrome affects the lives of millions of people around the world – including me! What causes this complex disorder and its notorious symptoms?
Diagnosis and symptoms
Tourette syndrome is commonly diagnosed in children following an onset of tics between the ages of 6 and 9 years (Galvez-Jimenez, 2012, p. S35). In many circumstances, Tourette syndrome occurs alongside one or more additional disorders, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I was diagnosed with both Tourette syndrome and OCD at eight years of age following an explosion of tics, twitches, and obsessive-compulsive behavior. To be formally diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, a patient must be under 18 years old and exhibit multiple motor tics and at least one phonic or “verbal” tic for at least one year (Galvez-Jenez, 2012, p. S35). Tics are sudden, repeated, involuntary body movements or vocal projections that are classified as “phonic” or as “motor.” Motor tics are sudden, impulsive, purposeless body ...
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... severe ear infections, which ultimately required surgery. Given my genetic makeup and early life experiences, it appears my Tourette’s diagnosis was triggered by both hereditary and environmental factors.
Conclusion
As long as the roots of Tourette syndrome remain a mystery, the question of what triggers my own diagnosis and symptoms cannot be fully answered. The disorder is far more complex than I could have ever imagined and the vast quantity of research investigating its origins is equally as convoluted. Although researchers have uncovered anatomical, physiological, genetic, and non-genetic factors, there is still much to understand. One absolute certainty is that Tourette syndrome cannot be attributed to one single element. Though the lack of definitive answers is disheartening, I am happy to have gained a better understanding and appreciation of my disorder.
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.
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
Mark started losing his hearing when he was about six or seven years old. This was manifested in confusion in music class, misunderstanding the words that the choir was singing, and discombobulation in noisy rooms. Eventually, it was noted that Mark’s hearing was deteriorating.
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)
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.
To understand the disease, you must know its interesting history. In 1885, the French physician, Dr. Georges Albert Eduoard Brutes Gilles de la Tourette, first suggested that the disease’s symptoms were part of a distinct condition different from other movement disorders. (Shimberg, 1995 p.25) Tourette studied several patients he believed to have the disorder. These studies included a French noblewoman who used to interject obscenities during conversation. (This is also known as coprolalia,) Tourette came to the conclusion that TS was hereditary, (Shimberg, 1995, P.67) that the disorder did not have any intellectual or psychological deterioration, (Shimberg, 1995, p.69) and he also correctly identified the childhood onset of the disease.
"OCD and Genetics." About.com Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Tim Howard has faced many challenges in his life. Some of these to do with Tourettes and OCD and some others not to do with Tourettes or OCD. The challenges to do with Tourettes/OCD that he has faced are that he had to touch certain objects or pick up certain objects, he had tics or motor action and later in his teen life, he had to touch the person before talking to them.
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.
People from all walks of life can get a diagnosis of OCD. It can be found in multiple groups of people in all social and ethnic groups and found in both male and female. Most symptoms are formed in early childhood, the teenage or young adult years. If the appearance of OCD suddenly appears later in life could merit a thorough medical evaluation to ensure that another illness is not the underlining causes of these symptoms. This paper will discuss what OCD is, who actually gets it is, what the actual causes of OCD are, and what the effective treatments for OCD are available out there (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, ...
worried about his genetic mutation of being tone-deaf. Ressler recalls that "he inherited what is physiologically ref...
Humans are naturally nervous creatures who tend to get nervous when put under pressure or put in certain situations that make them uncomfortable. There are many individuals who can handle this easily and know how to release that stress without it turning into a stress forming habit. There are others who are unable to handle these situations properly and develop certain “tics” that help the individual release this nervous tension. These types of behaviors can be things like nail biting, chewing on the insides of one’s gums, hair picking, and lip biting. Many different studies have been done on these types of nervous behaviors to figure out what can be done to help reverse these habits and which type of behavior modification works best for helping an individual stop these self-injurious behaviors.
When you walk into a room of people look around you at everybody. Can you pick out one or two people who suffer from a learning disability? Simply by looking at me Could you tell I do. Even educators did not realize that I had dyslexia. Unfortunately, they did not see the signs. I would like to share with you, how I have endeavored obstacles throughout life and still do, to this day.
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...
Stuttering is the Involuntary repetition of words or syllables in a person's speech. Primarily known as a speech disorder, stuttering can also be classified as a mental disorder. Roughly 3 million Americans stutter and about 68 million people worldwide stutter also; only 1% of the world's population. With ongoing research being done about the roots of stutter, millions have to cope with this embarrassing disorder. (MedicineNet.com). According to the Stuttering Foundation, stuttering is "a communication disorder in which the flow of speech is broken by repetitions, prolongations, or abnormal stoppages of sound and syllables (FAQ. "Stuttering Foundation") I DO NOT SEE THIS SOURCE LISTED WITH THE URL SO I can check to make sure you are not plagiarizing!!