CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TOURETTE-SYNDROME

The aim of the present study was to examine the clinical characteristi cs of Tourette syndrome (TS) in terms of symptomatoloy, outcome and or ganic and genetic factors, and to compare these with results of previo us studies on TS in Western countries and in Japan, on the basis of pr ecise information taken from a large number of TS patients under psych iatric treatment in Japan. There was a total of 64 TS patients (55 mal es and nine females) selected from those who visited our outpatient cl inic from 1974 to 1993 and were found to meet the criteria for Tourett e's disorder of DSM-III-R. The mean patient age at entry to the presen t study was 17.4 years (SD: 7.2). All data were collected through a sy stematic chart review of subjects, including data on tic symptoms and the course of their development; complications and developmental histo ries: family histories; medical and psychological examinations; treatm ent; severity and outcome. A check of the data showed that the mean ag e at onset was 6.9 years (SD: 2.7). An analysis of the progression of the symptoms revealed that 'generalized tics' afflicting the entire bo dy were found in 64.1% of subjects and coprolalia was found in 50%. Th e main complications were obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in 62.5% of patients and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 17 .2%. Of their parent, 7.0% had tic disorders except TS and 1.6% had TS . Contrary to results from previous studies of TS, our study revealed that at least the incidence of coprolalia in TS patients in Japan is n ot lower than in Western countries, However, the frequency of familial cases seemed to be longer than previously reported for Western patien ts. Outcome was fairly related with 'generalized tics,' OCS, aggressiv eness and ADHD.