Psychiatria pre prax 1/2010

The treatment of tics with respect to the clinical picture of the disorder and current offer of medication

There is no cure for Tourette‘s and no medication which works universally for all individuals. The decision to use medication should take into account a variety of factors in addition to tic severity such as the child’s age, medical history, and past history of response to medication. For individuals with moderate to severe tics, the newer atypical neuroleptics such as risperidone or older traditional neuroleptics such a haloperidole indicated. Olanzapine, ziprasidone, and quetiapine have shown promise in small studies. More recently, aripiprazole, described as a stabilizer of the dopamine/serotonin system, and showing D2 receptor partial agonism have been shown to be effective in suppressing tics. For individuals with mild to moderate tics, specific medications effective for tic reduction include clonidine or guanfacine, but there are now unuavilable in the Czech republic.

Keywords: Tourette syndrome, tics, pharmacotherapy, children