Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction. Tourette syndrome is known as a combined vocal and multiple motor tic disorder. It is a chronic complex neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by the onset of symptoms in early childhood and the presence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics. In most cases, the symptoms r...

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Main Authors: G. Asadauskaitė, G. Jasionytė, M. Karnickas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vilnius University Press 2023-12-01
Series:Neurologijos seminarai
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Online Access:https://www.journals.vu.lt/neurologijos_seminarai/article/view/37601
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author G. Asadauskaitė
G. Jasionytė
M. Karnickas
author_facet G. Asadauskaitė
G. Jasionytė
M. Karnickas
author_sort G. Asadauskaitė
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Tourette syndrome is known as a combined vocal and multiple motor tic disorder. It is a chronic complex neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by the onset of symptoms in early childhood and the presence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics. In most cases, the symptoms resolve or become less severe in early adulthood. Nevertheless, there are some cases where the syndrome does not follow its typical clinical course.Case report. We present a 28-year-old patient with Tourette syndrome. The patient was hospitalized for complex motor and vocal tics, as well as tics resulting in self-harm. First tics began at the age of twelve and gradually intensified. The patient was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at thirteen and has been taking Haloperidol 5 mg 3 times a day and Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg 3 times a day for the past 15 years. His condition worsened 6 months ago with increased tics, self-harm, insomnia, social withdrawal, and weight loss. In the hospital, Haloperidol was gradually replaced with 20 mg of Aripiprazole daily. The patient underwent twenty-six transcranial magnetic stimulation procedures. During hospitalization, insomnia was resolved, whereas motor tics and self-harm decreased.Discussion. The pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome emphasizes the dysfunction of neuronal networks in the basal ganglia. It leads to impaired inhibition in the sensorimotor cortex of the brain, which results in motor and vocal tics. Their characteristics are individual to each patient. The course of illness and the severity of symptoms are influenced by various stressors, intense emotional experiences, and environmental factors. Tourette syndrome is commonly treated with psychotherapy, pharmacological treatment, or a combination of these methods. The case we present shows that the conventional treatment methods are not always effective, and that the clinical course of Tourette syndrome may deviate from the usual expressions of the syndrome.
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spelling doaj-art-d7e7bfa8154f4709972b8a24946e5f352025-01-20T18:21:59ZengVilnius University PressNeurologijos seminarai1392-30642424-59172023-12-01274(98)10.15388/NS.2023.27.98.2Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature ReviewG. Asadauskaitė0G. Jasionytė1M. Karnickas2Vilnius University, LithuaniaVilnius University, LithuaniaVilnius University, Lithuania Introduction. Tourette syndrome is known as a combined vocal and multiple motor tic disorder. It is a chronic complex neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by the onset of symptoms in early childhood and the presence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics. In most cases, the symptoms resolve or become less severe in early adulthood. Nevertheless, there are some cases where the syndrome does not follow its typical clinical course.Case report. We present a 28-year-old patient with Tourette syndrome. The patient was hospitalized for complex motor and vocal tics, as well as tics resulting in self-harm. First tics began at the age of twelve and gradually intensified. The patient was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at thirteen and has been taking Haloperidol 5 mg 3 times a day and Trihexyphenidyl 2 mg 3 times a day for the past 15 years. His condition worsened 6 months ago with increased tics, self-harm, insomnia, social withdrawal, and weight loss. In the hospital, Haloperidol was gradually replaced with 20 mg of Aripiprazole daily. The patient underwent twenty-six transcranial magnetic stimulation procedures. During hospitalization, insomnia was resolved, whereas motor tics and self-harm decreased.Discussion. The pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome emphasizes the dysfunction of neuronal networks in the basal ganglia. It leads to impaired inhibition in the sensorimotor cortex of the brain, which results in motor and vocal tics. Their characteristics are individual to each patient. The course of illness and the severity of symptoms are influenced by various stressors, intense emotional experiences, and environmental factors. Tourette syndrome is commonly treated with psychotherapy, pharmacological treatment, or a combination of these methods. The case we present shows that the conventional treatment methods are not always effective, and that the clinical course of Tourette syndrome may deviate from the usual expressions of the syndrome. https://www.journals.vu.lt/neurologijos_seminarai/article/view/37601Tourette syndromeself-injurious behaviouraripiprazoletranscranial magnetic stimulation
spellingShingle G. Asadauskaitė
G. Jasionytė
M. Karnickas
Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review
Neurologijos seminarai
Tourette syndrome
self-injurious behaviour
aripiprazole
transcranial magnetic stimulation
title Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review
title_full Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review
title_fullStr Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review
title_full_unstemmed Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review
title_short Treatment Challenges in a Tourette Syndrome Patient with Self-Injurious Behaviour: Case Report and Literature Review
title_sort treatment challenges in a tourette syndrome patient with self injurious behaviour case report and literature review
topic Tourette syndrome
self-injurious behaviour
aripiprazole
transcranial magnetic stimulation
url https://www.journals.vu.lt/neurologijos_seminarai/article/view/37601
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AT mkarnickas treatmentchallengesinatourettesyndromepatientwithselfinjuriousbehaviourcasereportandliteraturereview