Tourette's syndrome is a rare neurological disorder, what causes it?

Not much is known to the general public about Tourette's syndrome, until some time ago it was shocked by the news that a famous Indonesian celebrity, Tora Sudiro, was caught taking dumolid medicine to treat the Tourette symptoms she was facing. Tourette's syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that makes it impossible for a person to control their body movements and what comes out of their mouth. Here are all the facts you need to know about Tourette's syndrome.

Tourette's syndrome is a rare neurological disorder

Tourette's syndrome is a condition that affects the nervous system of the brain characterized by a sudden, repetitive, uncontrollable pattern of movement - called tics. These symptoms can appear on any part of the body (face, hands, or feet). The name of this disorder comes from its "discoverer", Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the French neurologist, who first described the condition in an 86-year-old French aristocrat.

In other cases, a person who has Tourette's syndrome may suddenly make abnormal sounds, repeat words, or even curse or curse at others. When the tics recur, they can't control what they say.

What are the signs and symptoms of Tourette's syndrome?

The initial symptoms of Tourette's syndrome are short-term spontaneous movements or spasms, sudden jerks, twitching of the nose, or even a twitching mouth. Symptoms of tics from one person to another can be different. There are also those who have to bend or rotate their bodies many times as their "character" tics. These early symptoms are usually seen first in childhood, with an average onset of onset between the ages of 3 and 9.

In some people, in addition to motor tics, their symptoms of Tourette's syndrome can include vocal tics, which is an inability to control what they say. People with Tourette's syndrome who experience vocal tics usually swear / swear / utter obscene words spontaneously and repeatedly, even if they are not on purpose.

In a survey by University of San Diego psychologists, maybe 10-15 percent of people who had Tourette's syndrome had vocal tics, which were accompanied by a swearing-like voice. This condition is also known as copropraxia.

The spontaneous and repetitive movement / speech patterns that people with Tourette experience are generally difficult to avoid. They are difficult to control or prevent. People with Tourette's syndrome often report that attempts to reduce, control, or prevent tics can trigger severe stress to the point where they feel that the tic should be released (even against their will). However, after a symptom occurs (be it movement or speech), the owner of the body can usually control it in different ways.

Tics themselves, both motor movement and speech, can recur because they are triggered by the environment around the person — they can appear voluntary or not.

What causes Tourette's syndrome?

The cause of Tourette's syndrome is not known for sure. But so far research has shown abnormalities in certain brain regions (including the basal ganglia, frontal lobe, and cortex), the chains that connect these regions, and neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine) that are responsible for communication between nerve cells in the brain.

Who is at high risk for this disease?

Tourette's syndrome can occur in people of all ethnic groups. However, Tourette syndrome is more common in men, about three to four times more often than women.

In general, Tourette's syndrome is a chronic condition with symptoms that last a lifetime. Most people who have this condition report that its symptoms are most severe during early adolescence. However, most of them are gradually getting better, while others have to live with Tourette's syndrome which continues into adulthood.

Can Tourette's syndrome be cured?

Tourette's syndrome is a chronic condition for which no cure has yet been found. However, doctors will usually prescribe to reduce symptoms so that it makes it easier for patients to have more flexible activities, such as benzodiazepine drugs.

Apart from taking medication, the symptoms of Tourette can also be reduced by doing CBT therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), namely habit-changing exercises, and other therapies for the management of symptom reduction of Tourette's syndrome.