What is Tourette Syndrome?

In the movie Hichki starring Rani Mukherji, We see a brilliant teacher being turned down many times because of her one problem, her Tourette syndrome. Everyone makes fun of her because of her consistent hiccups. However, she turns this weakness of her into her biggest strength. The movie is inspiring and entertaining, but aren’t you curious about what is Tourette syndrome? Well, we will find that out in this article today.

What is Tourette Syndrome?

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological illness characterized by sudden, uncontrolled, fast, and repetitive movements or vocal sounds known as tics. Tic disorders, including Tourette Syndrome (TS), are part of several developmental nervous system illnesses. It frequently appears in early childhood and improves with age. Tics may be mild or severe. Most persons with TS experience the worst tic symptoms in their early teens, but tics often diminish and become controlled by the late teens or early 20s.

TS can be a chronic condition, with symptoms that persist into adulthood. In rare circumstances, tics might intensify in maturity. TS is not a degenerative disorder that worsens over time, and people with it have a normal life expectancy. The initial signs of TS typically appear in the head and neck region between the ages of 5 and 10. Despite Tourette Syndrome (TS) symptoms being undesired and uncontrollable, some individuals have the ability to control or suppress their tics. They use this control to lessen the interference of tics with their daily activities.

Read More: Trends in Psychology: Exploring Modern Developments and Directions

Classification of tics:

There are two kinds of TS. They are both basic and intricate motor tics.

Simple tics are short, sharp motions that repeat and involve a small number of muscle units. They occur more frequently than intricate tics. Complex tics frequently follow simple tics.

Simple motor tics include:

• Eye blinking and other eye movements
• Facial grimacing
• Shoulder shrugging
• Head or shoulder jerking

Simple vocal tics include:

• Repetitive throat-clearing
• Sniffing
• Barking
• Grunting

Different, well-coordinated movement patterns involving many muscle groups in various body areas are called complex tics.

Complex motor tics include

• Hopping
• Jumping
• Bending
• Twisting

Complex vocal tics may include:

• Repeating one’s own words or phrases
• Repeating others’ words or phrases (echolalia)
• Using vulgar, obscene, or swear words (coprolalia)

Disorders related to Tourette Syndrome

• Anxiety: Individuals with TS may experience worry, unease, or trepidation in response to a scenario or occurrence that could have an unpredictable outcome.
• Obsessive-compulsive Disorder or actions (OCD/OCB): An individual with TS may experience obsessions, which are unwanted thoughts, ideas, or feelings that cause a need to execute actions repeatedly or in a certain way (compulsions). Repetitive actions, which can seriously disrupt daily life, include cleaning, checking objects, and washing hands.
• Sensory processing problems: Some TS patients have trouble interpreting and reacting to information they receive from their senses of touch, taste, smell, sounds, or movement.
• Learning disabilities: Some people with TS experience difficulties with reading, writing, and math unrelated to IQ.

Read More: Tailored Learning: How Special Education Transforms Lives

• Behavioural or conduct concerns: Common issues include emotional and social adjustment difficulties, anger management challenges, and aggression.
• Difficulties falling or staying asleep: Difficulties falling or staying asleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Individuals with TS may have impulsivity, hyperactivity, and focus issues.
• Deficits in social skills and challenges with social functioning: Individuals may struggle to sustain social interactions and social abilities.

Treatment and medication for Tourette Syndrome:

Treatment may not be necessary for minor tics that don’t interfere with daily activities. However, severe tics might make it difficult to carry out daily tasks at work, school, or social settings. A few tics even result in self-harm. Medication or behavioural treatment may be helpful in certain situations.

In the case of Tourette syndrome, the medical professional might suggest neuroleptics. Drugs known as neuroleptics restrict dopamine’s ability to operate in the brain. One substance that can make tics worse is dopamine. Other drugs, such as those for OCD or ADHD, can assist treat disorders that come with Tourette’s syndrome.

Behavioural therapies like competitive response training and awareness training can be utilized to lessen tics. Training to move freely in response to a premonitory urge has been shown to lessen symptoms of tics, according to the results of a recent multi-centre randomized control trial supported by the National Institutes of Health and named Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT).

Other behavioral interventions, such as supportive therapy or biofeedback, have not demonstrated the ability to lessen tic symptoms. Supportive therapy, on the other hand, can assist an Individual with TS in managing the disease and any potential subsequent social or emotional issues. Psychotherapy can assist patients in managing their OCD as well as any co-occurring disorders or issues, such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

Latest updates on Tourette Syndrome:

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) support research relevant to Tourette Syndrome (TS). This support occurs either at NIH laboratories or through grants provided to major research institutions nationwide. Another component of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sponsors professional education programs as well as TS research.

Research in a wide range of medical and scientific fields, such as genetics, neuroimaging, neuropathology, medication- and non-medication-controlled clinical trials, epidemiology, neurophysiology, neuroimmunology, and descriptive/diagnostic clinical science, has contributed to our understanding of TS.

To sum up, Tourette Syndrome is a complicated neurological disorder that is not always accurately portrayed in the media. Through cultivating empathy, debunking misconceptions, and endorsing research, society may establish a setting in which people with TS are valued, welcomed, and enabled to flourish. Tourette Syndrome may come with difficulties, but we can create a world where everyone may live happy, meaningful lives regardless of neurological abnormalities if we take a caring and knowledgeable approach.

Read More Articles from Psychologs

• A Recipe for Beating Social Loafing
• How to Raise Emotionally Resilient Children
• How to Raise Emotionally Resilient Children
• Eustress vs. Distress: The Fine Line Between Motivation and Overwhelm
• How to achieve Mental Clarity?