- The Clinical Characterization of Blocking Tics in Patients With Tourette Syndrome
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José Fidel Baizabal-Carvallo, Joseph Jankovic
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J Mov Disord. 2023;16(2):163-167. Published online March 7, 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.14802/jmd.22122
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Abstract
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- Objective
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the presence of motor and phonic tics. Blocking phenomena, characterized by arrests in motor activity causing interruptions in movements or speech, have also been described in patients with TS. In this study, we aimed to characterize the frequency and features of blocking tics in patients with TS.
Methods We studied a cohort of 201 patients with TS evaluated at our movement disorders clinic.
Results We identified 12 (6%) patients with blocking phenomena. Phonic tic intrusion causing speech arrest was the most common (n = 8, 4%), followed by sustained isometric muscle contractions arresting body movements (n = 4, 2%). The following variables were statistically related to blocking phenomena: shoulder tics, leg tics, copropraxia, dystonic tics, simple phonic tics, and number of phonic tics per patient (all p < 0.050). In the multivariate regression, the presence of dystonic tics (p = 0.014) and a higher number of phonic tics (p = 0.022) were associated with blocking phenomena.
Conclusion Blocking phenomena are present in approximately 6% of patients with TS, and the presence of dystonic tics and a higher frequency and number of phonic tics increase the risk for these phenomena.
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Citations
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- Tics emergencies and malignant tourette syndrome: Assessment and management
José Fidel Baizabal-Carvallo, Andrea E. Cavanna, Joseph Jankovic Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.2024; 159: 105609. CrossRef - Tourette syndrome research highlights from 2023
Andreas Hartmann, Per Andrén, Cyril Atkinson-Clement, Virginie Czernecki, Cécile Delorme, Nanette Mol Debes, Simon Morand-Beaulieu, Kirsten Müller-Vahl, Peristera Paschou, Natalia Szejko, Apostolia Topaloudi, Kevin J. Black F1000Research.2024; 13: 677. CrossRef - Tourette syndrome research highlights from 2023
Andreas Hartmann, Per Andrén, Cyril Atkinson-Clement, Virginie Czernecki, Cécile Delorme, Nanette Mol Debes, Simon Morand-Beaulieu, Kirsten Müller-Vahl, Peristera Paschou, Natalia Szejko, Apostolia Topaloudi, Kevin J. Black F1000Research.2024; 13: 677. CrossRef - Oromandibular tics associated with Tourette syndrome
José Fidel Baizabal-Carvallo, Marlene Alonso-Juarez, Joseph Jankovic Journal of Neurology.2023; 270(5): 2591. CrossRef
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