Stuttering and Tourette Syndrome
These Two Conditions Have a Tendency to Cohabitate
Stuttering is another neurological condition that is often found in tandem with Tourette syndrome.
What is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette syndrome, named after the French neurologist Georges Gilles de la Tourette, is a neurological illness that involves involuntary movements and vocalizations (spoken words) named "tics." These tics can be repetitive or singular, and they are difficult for patients to suppress.
Tourette symptoms usually manifest themselves in childhood (between ages 7 and 10.) The teen years can be the worst time for symptoms, but in a majority of cases, symptoms lessen as patients reach adulthood. About 10% of patients have a more severe form of Tourette's that continues in intensity thoughout their lives.
Tourette syndrome is not degenerative (or causing a decline in function), but it is thought to be genetic. Tourette's seems to stem from abnormalities in the brain, including problems with neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, and seratonin.)
What is Stuttering?
Stuttering is a speech disorder that presents in childhood. The average age of onset is between two and six. The disorder itself is a disruption in the normal flow of speech. Problems include repetition of words, inability to start a word, and the lengthening of syllables.
Stuttering is generally a children's disorder. More boys than girls are affected by it, and it usually is outgrown before adulthood. The most common form of this problem is developmental in nature, or manifesting during the childhood speaking process. This type is usually outgrown.
Tourette Syndrome with Stuttering
There is thought to be a correlation between stuttering and Tourette syndrome. It is reported that as many as 33% of those with Tourette's have a stuttering problem. Although stuttering is generally a developmental issue, when it is witnessed in those who have Tourette syndrome, the stuttering is thought to be a result of too much dopamine in the brain.
There seems to be a link between an excess in dopamine production and the neurological conditions ADHD, OCD, Tourette's, and stuttering. Stuttering is just one of the manifestations of this neurotransmitter malfunctioning.
Scientists have studied young children with stuttering problems and have noted the same facial tics of those with Tourette's syndrome in some of the patients. This does not mean that all children who stutter have or will develop Tourette's, but it does show a clinical link between the two disorders.
There appears to be genetic factors involved in all of these dopamine-producing disorders. No genetic link is seen for the developmental variety of stuttering, since this is viewed as a temporary learning delay.
References: http://stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=440 and http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb02/touretts.html
***For more information about Tourette Syndrome, read What is Tourette Syndrome?
***For related neurological information, check out the Neurological ARTICLE INDEX and Blog.
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