Non-Motor Aspects of Tic Disorders—New Developments

Abstract

The cardinal characteristics of tic-related disorders are stereotyped motor movements and vocalizations. However, they may be accompanied by non-motor features that appear sequentially during the course of the disorder and can sometimes be more disabling than the tics themselves. This review presents our perspectives on several non-motor aspects of Tourette syndrome based on the long experience of the Neuropsychiatric Tourette Clinic of a tertiary pediatric medical center. The effect of premonitory urges, sensory modulation disorder, tic-related cognitions, and environmental conditions on the expression and intensity of tics is elaborated, with suggestions for treatment approaches to each. We also describe the mediatory effect of parental attachment style on the link between maternal stress and ticcing intensity and the need to adjust psychotherapy interventions to account for the importance of this factor in emotion regulation. This review is intended to direct attention to the non-motor aspects of Tourette syndrome. An in-depth understanding of this complex and debilitating disorder will facilitate the formulation of innovative therapeutic protocols.

Aberrant Functional Connectivity of the Salience Network in Adult Patients with Tic Disorders: A Resting-State fMRI Study

“…These disorders manifest with the sudden onset of obsessive–compulsive symptoms, tics, or a combination of both, and their symptoms are heightened during group A streptococcal infections ( Younger, 2023 ). Neuropsychological observations support a notion of TD that goes beyond a disorder of motor control and involves complex patterns of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes ( Ruhrman et al, 2017 ), likely affecting the domains of sensory perception ( Belluscio et al, 2011 ), sensory–motor integration ( Friedrich et al, 2021 ), attention ( Misirlisoy et al, 2015 ), and social cognition ( Channon et al, 2004 , 2012 ; Eddy and Cavanna, 2013a , 2015 ). Remarkably, these neuropsychological functions are closely related to salience-based information processing in the brain ( Seeley, 2019 ; Lugrin et al, 2023 ).…”

Efectos del apego y procesamiento sensorial en el desarrollo de niñas y niños. Una revisión sistemática

“…Además, la investigación ha demostrado que el estrés elevado de los padres y las diferencias en el procesamiento sensorial en los hijos están relacionados. Los niños prematuros tienen un mayor riesgo de alteración del procesamiento sensorial (Daily et al, 2019;Germain, 2018;Ruhrman et al, 2017).…”

Effects of parental attachment and sensory processing on child development. Systematic review

“…Additionally, research has shown that high parental stress and differences in sensory processing in children are related. Premature infants are at a higher risk for impaired sensory processing (Daily et al, 2019;Germain, 2018;Ruhrman et al, 2017). Acosta Manjarres's (2020) research has also found that attachment and parenting patterns significantly influence the physical, social, and mental development of children, and should be evaluated by health professionals.…”