order of Tourettes. When most think of Tourette they automatically assume the random cussing. Actually this seems to be a rare symptom. “Coprolalia, the symptom that the general public associates most often with TS, and it is not common”(Bruun 41).It only occurs it a small minority of TS individuals. The numbers are an estimated 5-30% as reported by the Tourette Syndrome Association in 1993. Some relate the coming on of an inappropriate word as hard to control as a sneeze. They can feel it coming on but are unable to control it even with medication (Michigan 1). One of the characteristics of coprolalia that sets it apart from just simply swearing is that words come out compulsively. Most often when a person is angry but even if they are just under stress (Kozlowski 1). Causes of TS are still being debated and most leads are pointing to genetic factors. The understanding of it seems to be incomplete and unfinished. But in 1999 researchers announced that they had found evidence suggesting a link between chromosomes 4 and 8 and TS. Though there still is no clearly identified gene to date. So all they can conclude is if one parent has TS there is a 50/50 chance for the child to carry it unless it is liked by gender (Packer 5). A study done by Dr. Ruth Bruun indicated a tendency toward a decrease in severity as patients grow in age. All patients in the 50-60 age group had reported their TS as mild and patients in the 20 age group only 30% had reported all their symptoms as mild.Effective treatment of TS eluded doctors until the discovery of the beneficial drug haloperidol in 1961. The new discoveries lead to a new and more effective approach to the treatment of TS symptoms. “Indirectly it changes their attitude from hopeless to hopeful” (Bruun 135). This drug was the first to be found consistent in helping control tics of TS patients and is the most widely prescribed. (Bruun 136)The most common methods ...
