Prompt Cast
Understanding Tourette Syndrome: Challenges and Treatment Options
TLDR Tourette Syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by vocal and motor tics that typically appear before the age of 18. While coprolalia, or the involuntary use of offensive language, is a symptom in some cases, it is not present in the majority of sufferers. Treatment options include behavior modification techniques, therapy, medications, and experimental surgeries, with medical marijuana being researched as a potential treatment.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This podcast episode is about Tourette Syndrome and the challenges and triumphs of living with an autoimmune disorder.
04:06
Tourette Syndrome was first described by Jean-Marc Gaspard Ita in the 1800s, and later officially named after Georges Gilles de la Tourette, with the syndrome believed to have a genetic basis and typically appearing before the age of 18 with symptoms such as vocal and motor tics, with boys being more likely to be affected than girls.
08:33
Tourette Syndrome is not necessarily indicated by coprolalia, or the involuntary use of offensive language, as this symptom is only present in less than 15% of sufferers, and most people with Tourette's have mild symptoms that may go unnoticed.
12:28
The lack of dopamine in Parkinson's patients has led researchers to believe that there may be an excess of dopamine in Tourette patients, although this theory is not backed by hard scientific evidence.
16:17
Tourette's ticks typically start higher up in the body and then move further down as the patient ages, eventually affecting the respiratory and alimentary systems.
20:05
Tourette's syndrome is often misunderstood, with the greatest misconception being that all sufferers have coprolalia, and it is commonly accompanied by other behavioral disorders such as OCD and ADHD.
24:08
Treatment options for Tourette's syndrome include behavior modification techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, medications such as anti-psychotics and SSRIs, and in severe cases, experimental surgeries like Deep Brain Stimulation.
28:10
Medical marijuana is being researched as a potential treatment for Tourette syndrome, although its effectiveness is still uncertain.
32:10
The hosts receive an email from a listener who is creating a "Patriot Offset" to counter people who question their patriotism, offering to give them a year of his army time and three months of peacekeeping deployment in Kosovo.
Categories:
Society & Culture
