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What are tics?
Tics are relatively brief, sudden, rapid, and intermittent movements (motor tics) or sounds (vocal tics).
They may be repetitive and stereotypic.
Tics are usually abrupt in onset and brief (clonic tics) but may be slow and sustained (dystonic tics).
Examples of even more prolonged tics (tonic tics) include abdominal or limb tensing.
Simple tics are caused by contractions of only one group of muscles and result in a brief, jerk-like movement or single, meaningless sound.
Motor tics may also be complex, consisting of coordinated sequenced movements that resemble normal motor acts but are inappropriately intense and timed.
Complex vocal tics include linguistically meaningful utterances and verbalizations.
Tics, especially if dystonic, are associated with premonitory feelings that are relieved by performing the tics.
Unlike other hyperkinetic dyskinesias, tics may be temporarily suppressed, leading some authors to suggest that in many patients they are purposefully, albeit irresistibly, performed.
Phenomenologic Classification of Tics
Motor Tics | Vocal Tics |
---|---|
Simple tics | Simple tics |
Clonic tics | Blowing |
Blinking | Coughing |
Head jerking | Grunting |
Nose twitching | Screaming |
Dystonic tics | Sneezing |
Abdominal tensing | Squeaking |
Blepharospasm | Sucking |
Bruxism | Throat clearing |
Oculogyric movements | Complex tics |
Shoulder rotation | Coprolalia (shouting of obscenities) |
Sustained mouth opening | Echolalia (repetition of someone else’s phrases) |
Torticollis | Palilalia (repetition of one’s own utterances, complex tics, or phrases) |
Complex tics | |
Copropraxia (obscene gestures) | |
Echopraxia (imitating gestures) | |
Head shaking | |
Hitting | |
Jumping | |
Kicking | |
Throwing | |
Touching |