Abstract
Forty-eight subjects with Tourette syndrome (M 36, F 12; mean age 11.2 years) and
48 with chronic tic disorder (M 33, F 15; mean age 12.1 years) were recruited in order
to study the vertical transmission within families of a vulnerability to tic disorders
or to other psychiatric disorders, the role of adverse pre- and perinatal events,
and the presence of comorbid psychiatric conditions. As control group, 30 matched,
psychiatrically unaffected subjects (M 20, F 10; mean age 10.8 years) were chosen.
Screening measures included detailed anamnestic data, focused on family history of
tics and other psychiatric disorders, prenatal events and birth. Subjects and parents
were also questioned about psychiatric comorbidity. Group differences were compared
using Fisher Test. Subjects with Tourette syndrome and those with chronic tic were
similar to each other and different from controls in family history of tic disorders,
pre- and perinatal events, and some comorbid psychiatric disorders (attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, sleep problems, and mood disorders). Tourette syndrome and
chronic tic group were different in family history of obsessive-compulsive disorder
and in comorbidity for obsessive-compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders.
Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder were significantly associated
in this sample. These findings seem to indicate that Tourette syndrome and chronic
tic disorder are part of the same disease entity, with Tourette syndrome being a more
severe and complex form of tic disorder.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 21,
2004
Received in revised form:
September 18,
2004
Received:
March 15,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
