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Tics |
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A tic is a sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic, stereotyped motor movement or vocalization. It is experienced as irresistible but can be suppressed for varying lengths of time. All forms of tic may be exacerbated by stress and attenuated during absorbing activities (e.g., reading or sewing). Tics are usually markedly diminished during sleep. Both motor and vocal tics may be classified as either simple or complex, although the boundary is not well defined. Common simple motor tics include eye blinking, neck jerking, shoulder shrugging, facial grimacing, and coughing. Common simple vocal tics include throat clearing, grunting, sniffing, snorting, and barking. Common complex motor tics include facial gestures, grooming behaviors, jumping touching, stamping, and smelling an object. Common complex vocal tics include repeating words or phrases or phrases out of context, coprolalia (use of socially unacceptable words, frequently obscene), palilalia (repeating one's own sounds or words), and echolalia (repeating the last-heard sound, word, or phrase). Other complex tics include echo kinesis (imitation of someone else's movements).
American Psychiatric
Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fourth Edition. |
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