Relationship between representation and severity of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and comorbidities

Abstract

Aim. To study representation and distribution of comorbidities, their relationship with clinical presentation and severity of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, with age of onset of motor and vocal tics.
 Methods. Were examined 58 children (44 boys, 14 girls) at the age of 11.070.52 years (418 years old) with observation period from 1 to 10 years with diagnosis of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. All patients were examined by child psychiatrist, neurologist, child psychologist to clarify diagnosis and psychopathological comorbidities. Comorbidities were determined by clinical-psychopathological method and by standardized scales.
 Results. In the course of the research there were identified the main comorbid disorders, their representation, prevalence and relationship with tic disorder. The results of the study allow us to conceptualize separately comorbid disorders and complex tic-like symptoms. According to the study, comorbid disorders tend to develop on their own, while a number of specific features tend to manifest themselves, increasing representation during the course of development of the main tic disorder.
 Conclusion. Such specific features as self-injurious behaviors, non-obscene, socially inappropriate behaviors, coprophenomena, echophenomena; and paliphenomend are proposed to be called complex tic-like symptoms. In our opinion, we should differentiate and separately classify complex tic-like symptoms from mental comorbidities, that have their own development regardless of the course of tics in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.