Article
Clinical Neurology
David Mataix-Cols, Kayoko Isomura, Gustaf Brander, Isabell Brikell, Paul Lichtenstein, Zheng Chang, Henrik Larsson, Ralf Kuja-Halkola, Kevin J. Black, Anna Sidorchuk, Lorena Fernandez de la Cruz
Summary: A Swedish study found that 20% of children with tic disorders continued to have chronic tic disorders into adulthood, with childhood psychiatric comorbidities and family history of psychiatric disorders being the strongest risk factors for tic disorder persistence.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tamara Pringsheim, Davide Martino
Summary: Clinicians have observed an increase in functional tic-like behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and youth. This study describes the development of rapid-onset functional tic-like behaviors in adults between May 2020 and June 2021. These behaviors are characterized by a younger age of onset, higher severity and impairment scores, and a higher likelihood of complex motor and vocal tics, as well as coprolalia. Participants with rapid-onset tic-like behaviors also reported higher levels of mental health symptoms and were more likely to be diagnosed with depression. This subtype of functional neurological disorder appears to be strongly influenced by social factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Sandra-Eve Bamigbade, Samantha L. Rogers, Wendy Wills, Amanda K. Ludlow
Summary: This study investigates the mealtime experiences of families with a child with a tic disorder from the perspective of mothers. The findings highlight the challenges of tics on mealtime activities, affecting a young person's ability to eat, drink, and sit, as well as the negative impact on maternal and familial resilience and wellbeing.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Davide Martino, Irene Malaty, Kirsten Mueller-Vahl, Elaheh Nosratmirshekarlou, Tamara M. Pringsheim, David Shprecher, Christos Ganos
Summary: There is currently a lack of standardized definition for treatment failure in the management of tics, leading to unnecessary interventions. Through a Delphi approach, an expert consensus-based definition for treatment failure of tics was achieved. The definition is divided into behavioral and pharmacological treatments, with core components including lack of efficacy, adherence, and tolerability.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tamara Pringsheim, Christos Ganos, Christelle Nilles, Andrea E. E. Cavanna, Donald L. L. Gilbert, Erica Greenberg, Andreas Hartmann, Tammy Hedderly, Isobel Heyman, Holan Liang, Irene Malaty, Osman Malik, Nanette Mol Debes, Kirsten Muller Vahl, Alexander Munchau, Tara Murphy, Peter Nagy, Tamsin Owen, Renata Rizzo, Liselotte Skov, Jeremy Stern, Natalia Szejko, Yulia Worbe, Davide Martino
Summary: In 2020, there was a significant increase in referrals for young people with rapid onset of severe tic-like behaviors. A working group was formed to develop clinical criteria for the diagnosis of functional tic-like behaviors (FTLBs) to aid in recognition and diagnosis by healthcare professionals.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer Langelage, Julius Verrel, Julia Friedrich, Alina Siekmann, Ronja Schappert, Annet Bluschke, Veit Roessner, Theresa Paulus, Tobias Baumer, Christian Frings, Christian Beste, Alexander Muenchau
Summary: This study investigated the association between premonitory urges and tics in children and adolescents with GTS. Group-level analyses confirmed a positive association between urges and tics. However, at the individual level, not all participants showed a positive association and some even displayed a reversed association. The severity of tics was correlated with subjective urge levels, and participants with more severe tics exhibited stronger urge-tic associations. Compared to adult GTS patients, the association between reported urge levels and instantaneous tic intensity was less pronounced in children and adolescents. The heterogeneity of urge-tic associations casts doubt on the direct causation of tics by urges, suggesting that more severe tics may lead to stronger associations between urges and tics as a byproduct.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Psychiatry
Eu Gene Park, Young-Hoon Kim
Summary: This study investigated the clinical characteristics and comorbid neuropsychiatric conditions in 119 pediatric patients diagnosed with tic disorders. Findings revealed issues such as early onset of tics, diagnosis lag, and an association between tic severity, functional impairment, and tic noticeability. Comprehensive assessment during the disease course is crucial for prioritizing treatment goals.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Stephanie Cernera, Leena Pramanik, Zachary Boogaart, Jackson N. Cagle, Julieth Gomez, Katie Moore, Ka Loong Kelvin Au, Michael S. Okun, Aysegul Gunduz, Wissam Deeb
Summary: This study aimed to develop a sensor-based paradigm to detect and classify tics in Tourette syndrome. The results demonstrate that wearable sensors can capture physiological differences between tic and voluntary movements and are comparable to expert consensus. This has significant implications for individualizing and improving care for people with TS.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Stefanie Bartha, Annet Bluschke, Tina Rawish, Kim E. R. Naumann, Paul Wendiggensen, Tobias Baeumer, Veit Roessner, Alexander Muenchau, Christian Beste
Summary: The occurrence of motor/vocal tics is the leading diagnostic criterion for tic disorders. However, extra movements are also common in healthy controls, questioning the usefulness of diagnostic criteria in clinical practice. It is not solely a surplus of movements that defines tic disorders, but rather movement characteristics and patterns.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Melanie J. Firestone, Stacy Holzbauer, Christine Conelea, Richard Danila, Kirk Smith, Rebecca H. Bitsko, Susan M. Klammer, Stefan Gingerich, Ruth Lynfield
Summary: On October 15, 2021, the Minnesota Department of Health initiated an investigation into a cluster of students in a school displaying tic-like behaviors believed to be linked to recent COVID-19. Through interviews and questionnaires, it was discovered that eight female students aged 15-17 had tic-like behaviors lasting more than 24 hours. These behaviors were found to be associated with underlying mental health issues rather than the immediate effects of COVID-19. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding functional tic-like behaviors and adolescent mental health.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Lina Schubert, Julius Verrel, Amelie Behm, Tobias Baeumer, Christian Beste, Alexander Muenchau
Summary: The study found that associations between urges and tics in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome are complex and heterogeneous, with some individuals not showing the expected positive correlation, and even displaying negative associations. While most patients demonstrated a positive relationship between urges and tics, there were substantial inter-individual differences in these associations.
Article
Psychiatry
Kesley A. Ramsey, Alessandro S. De Nadai, Flint M. Espil, Emily Ricketts, Jordan T. Stiede, Jennifer Schild, Matthew W. Specht, Douglas W. Woods, Shannon Bennet, John T. Walkup, Susanna Chang, John Piacentini, Joseph F. McGuire
Summary: This study examined the relationship between urge intolerance and tic severity and tic-related impairment among adults with Tourette Syndrome and Persistent Tic Disorders, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets for optimizing treatment outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
I-Jun Chou, Po-Cheng Hung, Jainn-Jim Lin, Meng-Ying Hsieh, Yi-Shan Wang, Cheng-Yen Kuo, Chang-Fu Kuo, Kuang-Lin Lin, Huei-Shyong Wang
Summary: Based on data from the National Taiwan Insurance Research Database, the incidence rates of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders showed an increasing trend in children and adolescents from 2007 to 2015, but a decreasing trend in adults. The prevalence rates also increased over the same period.
SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Hyo-Weon Suh, Chan-Young Kwon, Sunggyu Hong, Hyun Woo Lee, Misun Lee, Jong Woo Kim, Sun-Yong Chung
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions for tic disorders through a systematic review and network meta-analysis, focusing on tic severity and secondary outcomes. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Article
Psychiatry
Joseph F. McGuire, John Piacentini, Eric A. Storch, Emily J. Ricketts, Douglas W. Woods, Alan L. Peterson, John T. Walkup, Sabine Wilhelm, Kesley Ramsey, Joey K-Y Essoe, Michael B. Himle, Adam B. Lewin, Susanna Chang, Tanya K. Murphy, James T. McCracken, Lawrence Scahill
Summary: The study found moderate to strong correlations between CGI-S ratings and YGTSS scores, with only fair agreement when applying classification benchmarks. The results provide guidance on defining tic severity categories.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Yonghua Cui, Fenghua Li, James F. Leckman, Lanting Guo, Xiaoyan Ke, Jing Liu, Yi Zheng, Ying Li
Summary: The study reveals an increasing prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems among children and adolescents in China, highlighting the importance of addressing the shortage of pediatric psychiatrists and raising awareness in the whole society to reduce such issues for long-term benefits.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Jian Xu, Rong-Jian Liu, Shaylyn Fahey, Luciana Frick, James Leckman, Flora Vaccarino, Ronald S. Duman, Kyle Williams, Susan Swedo, Christopher Pittenger
Summary: The study found that IgG antibodies from children with PANDAS bound to cholinergic interneurons in the striatum, potentially contributing to the onset of acute OCD symptoms in children. After IVIG treatment, there was a reduction in IgG binding to CINs in PANDAS children's serum, which correlated with symptom improvement.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Zeynep Yildirim, Koray Karabekiroglu, Alisan Yildiran, Mehmet Halil Celiksoy, Bekir Artukoglu, Saliha Baykal, Zehra Babadagi, James Leckman
Summary: The study found that patients with TS/CTD had higher activated regulatory T cell percentage compared to healthy controls. Additionally, lymphocyte count, T lymphocyte count, T lymphocyte percentage, T-helper lymphocyte count, and T-helper lymphocyte percentage were lower in the patient group.
NORDIC JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Matti Cervin, Euripedes C. Miguel, Aysegul Selcen Guler, Ygor A. Ferrao, Ayse Burcu Erdogdu, Luisa Lazaro, Sebla Gokce, Daniel A. Geller, Yasemin Yulaf, Saziye Senem Basgul, Ozlem Ozcan, Koray Karabekiroglu, Leonardo F. Fontenelle, Yanki Yazgan, Eric A. Storch, James F. Leckman, Maria Conceicao do Rosario, David Mataix-Cols
Summary: This study established a comprehensive symptom structure model of OCD across the lifespan, consisting of eight broad dimensions valid across the lifespan. Incompleteness and Disturbing Thoughts were found to be most central in the network analysis, with unique interconnections to other dimensions. The eight broad dimensions were differentially related to sociodemographic and clinical variables.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Emily Behling, H. Michael Bloch
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Psychiatry
Natalia Polga, Pedro Macul Ferreira de Barros, Luis C. Farhat, Karla Mathias de Almeida, Michael H. Bloch, Beny Lafer
Summary: Both advanced paternal and maternal age are associated with an increased risk of bipolar disorder (BD) in offspring. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms behind this association.
ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA
(2022)
Review
Psychology, Clinical
Samuel T. Wilkinson, Daniel Trujillo Diaz, Zachary W. Rupp, Anubhav Kidambi, Karina L. Ramirez, Jose M. Flores, Victor J. Avila-Quintero, T. Greg Rhee, Mark Olfson, Michael H. Bloch
Summary: This study found that lithium has a protective effect against suicide in bipolar disorder, as well as in mixed diagnostic samples. Clozapine was also shown to reduce the odds of suicide in psychotic disorders. However, other treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy and antipsychotics did not show significant associations with suicide risk.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis C. Farhat, Jose M. Flores, Emily Behling, Victor J. Avila-Quintero, Adam Lombroso, Samuele Cortese, Guilherme Polanczyk, Michael H. Bloch
Summary: We conducted a large-scale systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effects of stimulant dose and dosing strategies on clinical outcomes in children/adolescents with ADHD. Our findings suggest that flexible titration of stimulant medications can improve efficacy and acceptability.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Emily Behling, Luis C. Farhat, Angeli Landeros-Weisenberger, Michael H. Bloch
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of Vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors for chronic tic disorders (CTD), including Tourette syndrome (TS). The results showed that VMAT2 inhibitors did not have a significant effect on the short-term treatment of tic disorders and had no clinically meaningful impact on tic symptoms, but there were some adverse effects on tolerability and acceptability.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jana Essing, Ewgeni Jakubovski, Nikolas Psathakis, Sinan N. Cevirme, James F. Leckman, Kirsten R. Mueller-Vahl
Summary: The study found that premonitory urges (PUs) associated with tics were typically located in the same body area as, or in direct proximity to, the corresponding tic. Most frequently, PUs were located in the face and head (62.1%). Complex tics were more often preceded by a PU compared to simple tics, with no difference in PU frequency observed between motor and vocal tics. PUs were more often experienced at the front rather than the back of the body (73% vs. 27%), with no difference between the right and left sides (41.6% vs. 41.3%).
JOURNAL OF MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Psychology, Developmental
Michael H. Bloch, Krystal Finch
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Melanie V. Brady, Jessica Mariani, Yildiz Koca, Anna Szekely, Robert A. King, Michael H. Bloch, Angeli Landeros-Weisenberger, James F. Leckman, Flora M. Vaccarino
Summary: This study investigates the pathophysiology of early development in Tourette Syndrome (TS) using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived basal ganglia (BG) organoids. The findings suggest that TS individuals show impaired development of medial ganglionic eminence and reduced differentiation of cholinergic and GABAergic interneurons in the BG organoids. Transcriptome analyses reveal mispatterning in TS, with altered expression of GLI transcription factors and cilia disruption in the early stages of BG organoid differentiation.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Alice Lineham, Victor J. Avila-Quintero, Michael H. Bloch, Jennifer Dwyer
Summary: This study aims to investigate the association between acute dissociative symptoms and antidepressant response to ketamine in adolescents with treatment-resistant depression. The results indicate no significant relationship between dissociation symptoms and depression symptom improvement with ketamine treatment in this population. However, the interpretation of the findings may be limited due to the small sample size. Future research should include larger samples to more accurately measure the magnitude of association between acute dissociative symptoms and later antidepressant response to ketamine.
JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Psychiatry
Thiago Blanco-Vieira, Joaquim Radua, Livia Marcelino, Michael Bloch, David Mataix-Cols, Maria Conceicao do Rosario
Summary: This study is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) genetic epidemiology, aiming to update the current knowledge in the field. The findings include the high prevalence and familial nature of OCD, especially among the relatives of children and adolescent probands, with a phenotypic heritability of around 50%, and the higher correlations of OCD symptoms between monozygotic twins are mainly attributed to genetic and non-shared environmental factors.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)