olalia is the repeating of sounds, words, or parts of word of others. These vocal tics are a major contribution to Tourette syndrome.Related disorders of TS are attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (Bruun, 1984, p. 7). Up to 50 percent of all children with TS who come to the attention of a physician also have ADHD, which is manifested by problems with attention span, concentration, distractibility, impulsivity, and motor hyperactivity (Fowler, 1996, p. 58). Attention deficits may also persist unto adulthood and together, with obsessions and compulsions, can seriously impair any performance. Obsessive-compulsive disorder may actually be another expression of the TS gene, and therefore, an integral part of the disorder (Kushner, 1999, p. 48). These obsessions are defined at thoughts, images, or impulses that intrude on consciousness, are involuntary and distressful, and while perceived as silly or excessive, cannot be abolished (Fowler, 1996, p. 60). Some TS patients also have significant aggression directed toward others, including temper fits. One important factor in TS influence on behavior is its ability to cause a “disinhibiting” effect, in which an individual performs, acts, or makes statements, which would otherwise be censored by the conscious mind. Antisocial and inappropriate sexual behavior is considered to be frequently associated with TS by Comings and Comings (1985), who find that 44 percent of their patients have discipline problems, 42 percent with anger and violence problems, and 14 percent exhibit some form of exhibitionism (Marsden, 1986, p. 791). Excitement, anxiety, and impatient anticipation will cause an increase in tics, which concentration on an absorbing activity will produce a decrease in tics. Rather than trying to make a distinction, it is perhaps more helpful to think of TS sufferers as having a “thin-barrier”...
