Behavior therapy matches drugs for calming tics ~ JAMA

[Laurensmom]

Thought I'd share this interesting finding.

 

Behavior therapy matches drugs for calming tics

Anne Harding

Tue May 18, 2010 10:19am EDT

 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Special behavior therapy can help reduce tics in children and teens with Tourette syndrome about as well as medications typically given for the neurological disorder, according to new research published in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

 

This finding was "pretty exciting to us," Dr. John Piacentini of the University of California at Los Angeles, who was involved in the research, told Reuters Health. "One of the benefits of the behavior treatment is it was also associated with no side effects," he explained.

 

This is in contrast to the medications for Tourette syndrome, which, at times, can have "serious" side effects, the researcher noted. Medications used to treat Tourette syndrome include drugs typically used to treat psychotic adults, such as risperidone (Risperidol) and haloperidol (Haldol); their adverse effects can include sedation, weight gain, and movement problems.

 

People with Tourette syndrome may have physical tics, vocal tics, or both. Typically, Piacentini explained, a person will feel an unpleasant sensation they can relieve by performing the tic. This reinforces the tic, which eventually becomes virtually automatic.

 

The new behavior therapy, developed by Piacentini and his team and based on decades-old strategies for behavior modification, involves helping a person recognize when they are feeling the urge to tic, and training them to perform a voluntary movement instead.

 

More at link >>>> http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64H3P220100518

[Chemar]

the jury is still out for me on this until I know more about it

 

cognitive behavioral therapy helped my son tremendously with OCD and he did learn a lot of very helpful techniques on tic substitution etc...

 

if this is similar, then "yay!"

 

but if it involves anything more like forced suppression or habit reversal that is not by someone experienced with the involuntary nature of TS tics, then I am very wary of it.

 

saw what a brief time with a psych who tried those on my son did and have heard enough similar not good reports from others. Prolonged suppression of tics can sometimes cause waxing of OCD and other co morbid symptoms. We saw that with my son.

 

I know the term habit reversal has taken on new meaning in modern psychological jargon, but I must say I personally dont like the terminology as tics arent "habits", they are involuntary neurological reactions

 

soooo

hopefully this study will lead to good treatment

almost anything has to be better than the TS drugs IMHO!!

Edited May 19, 2010 by Chemar