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neurological disorder characterized by facial grimaces and tics and movements of the upper body and grunts and shouts and coprolalia

neurological disorder characterized by facial grimaces and tics and movements of the upper body and grunts and shouts and coprolalia

A neuropsychological disorder related to alterations in dopamine metabolism and neurotransmission involving frontal-subcortical neuronal circuits. Both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics need to be present with TICS occurring many times a day, nearly daily, over a period of more than one year. The onset is before age 18 and the disturbance is not due to direct physiological effects of a substance or a general medical condition. The disturbance causes marked distress or significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. (From DSM-IV, 1994; Neurol Clin 1997 May;15 (2):357-79)