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Life's A Twitch! Celebrating 15 years.
1998 - 2018
Life's A Twitch! Celebrating 15 years.

 

Question 42: My sister is 44 years old. She has exhibited TS symptoms for decades....Most pronounced are her verbal tics. While never profane, she has classic TS symptoms. On June 29, my sister was diagnosed with a BRAIN TUMOUR, on her speech center, left parietal lobe. Since then, her tics have become somewhat more frequent and the variety of verbal tics has increased. My main question: Have you ever seen a TS case where the person has developed a tumour in the speech center? Is there any correlation, in your opinion? Thank you for hearing me out. My sister....beyond the tics is a kind, generous person. Blessings, H.G., ON, Canada.


Good evening H:

My answers are no and no, I'm sorry. As you describe in your (impressive) email, though, stress is a factor that increases tics.......I would postulate that the tumour might affect the TS symptoms through the increased psychological and physical stress that a tumour would present. As to whether the tumour more directly influences the vocal tics you are hearing, that is a fascinating thought, but something that has not been explored as your sister's situation is an enormously unique one (i.e. no one has thought to research this connection, and even if anyone had there hasn't been anyone out there to use as research participants).

One hot-off-the-press study that could suggest a possible connection is the finding that increased volumes of parieto-occipital cortex are significantly correlated with tic severity (that is, the larger the cortex, the more severe the tics). Assumedly a tumour in the parieto-occipital area would increase the cortical volume. While there IS no speech centre in the parietal lobe, there is a centre for speech near the juncture of the parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes -- in the general area described both by you, and in the study. This is a receptive speech centre though: it is the area where speech is comprehended rather than expressed. Expressive speech is located more near the front of the brain than where you describe your sister's tumour to be.

Bottom line: there is some early evidence that the parietal lobe may have something to do with tic severity, but there is no research suggesting direct connections between parietal tumours and TS. It is also unlikely that the tumour, as you describe it, would be impacting any areas of the brain involved in the production of speech. Whether some of her treatments for the cancer may have impacted areas closer to the front of the brain though, and therefore the expressive speech centre, is another thing.

Thank you for your email -- it is always a pleasure to get an interesting intellectual challenge thrown my way, and it is always a pleasure to meet someone with a heart to match her intellect.

cheers,
Dr. Dunc.

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Last updated on March 25, 2022

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