The effects of tactile stimulation on the attentional performance of subjects with Tourette syndrome

Abstract

o Panagopoulos et al., Towards objectively quantifying sensory hypersensitivity: a pilot study of the Ariana effect. PeerJ 1:e121, 2013, DOI 10.7717/peerj.121 o Greimel et al., Attentional Performance in Children and Adolescents with Tic Disorder and CoOccurring Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: New Insights from a 2×2 Factorial Design Study. J Abnorm Child Psychol, DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9493-7b o Belluscio et al., Sensory sensitivity to external stimuli in Tourette syndrome patients. Mov Disord. 2011 Dec;26(14):2538-43. doi: 10.1002/mds.23977. Epub 2011 Oct 28. o This project was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant K24MH087913 (KJB) and a Tourette Syndrome Association fellowship (DJG). Additional support from Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Grant [UL1 TR000448] and Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center and NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA091842 This study was a continuation of “Towards objectively quantifying sensory hypersensitivity: a pilot study of the Ariana effect“ (Panagopoulos et al., 2013). It aimed to test the extent to which sensory hypersensitivity in patients with TS/CTD affects sustained attention. To do this, participants with and without TS/CTD performed an attention task in the presence and absence of a subtle sensory stimulus. Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorder (TS/CTD) are complex neuropsychiatric disorders in which patients present with multiple motor or vocal tics. In many patients with TS/CTD, attentional problems are present and ADHD is the most common condition that co-occurs with TS/CTD, occurring in about 50% of patients (Greimel et al, 2011). These attentional problems can range from mild to severe and can impact the patient’s ability to complete tasks, sustain attention, and keep track of personal items.