Pharmacological treatment of Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a highly heritable yet heterogeneous childhood onset disorder. The cardinal movement disorder required for diagnosis is tics. As persons with tics or TS often have obsessive/compulsiveness, inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, anxiety, and anger outbursts, the presence of tics should prompt clinicians to look for these other conditions. While randomized controlled trials provide valid evidence of efficacy for symptoms in isolation, implications for treatment of complex patients meeting criteria for multiple diagnoses is not always clear. In this review, the authors critically review factors influencing decisions whether and how to treat medically tics as well as OCD and ADHD in the presence of tics.