Life's a Twitch - Tourette Syndrome Site (Response 48)!

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Question 48: Hi, This is T.P....I went to your presentation in Edmonton. I was wondering, at college we are doing a presentation on tics. One of our first questions is all about the dophamine [sp] in the brain. Someone in our group would like to know if there is a difference between a tic and the dophamine [sp] in the brain with person A(with tourettes) and person B (without Tourettes, but has a nervous facial tic). Our presentation is just TICS and behavior and we are curious on how the brain works during a tic between person A and B. If you can help me this would be wonderful. T.P., AB, Canada.

There isn't a lot of research in this area yet, T.P., but it is generally believed that a "nervous tic" is not any different QUALITATIVELY from TS -- it is simply QUANTITATIVELY different (i.e. the neurology is the same in both conditions, but at considerably different degrees). Hence if the brakes are quite leaky in an individual diagnosed with TS, the brakes are only a slight bit leaky in a case of a single chronic motor tic.

Finally, since a precise neurological model of TS is not yet agreed upon by the entire research population, it is premature to then ask questions like, "how does the neurology of TS differ from the neurology of ............".

I hope this helps T! Good luck on your project, and thanks for your efforts to educate!!
Dr. Dunc.

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Last updated on March 25, 2022

All activities related to Life's A Twitch!® are conducted by B. Duncan McKinlay, Ph.D., C.Psych. (Retired) in a private capacity and do not represent the Ministry of Children and Youth Services or the Government of Ontario.

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