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Tourette Syndrome , Tic Disorders , and Cannabis
Around 1.4 million people in the U . S ., as well as 1 in 50 children , suffer from persistent tic disorders , including Tourette syndrome .
by Peter Kershaw , Contributing Writer
Tourette syndrome ( TS ) is a neurological and psychiatric disorder named after Dr . Georges Gilles de la Tourette , a French neurologist who , in 1885 , described the condition in an eighty-six-year-old French woman . TS is manifested by repetitive vocalizations and / or involuntary movements . These “ tics ” are uncontrollable , repetitive , and non-rhythmic movements of select muscle groups , often including those needed to speak . TS patients manifest jerking , twitching , grimacing , slapping , the utterance of involuntary sounds ( sometimes loud outbursts ), phrases , swearing , insults , and offensive words . These tics can range from minor to debilitating . For the sufferer , this commonly results in social anxiety . Co-occurring conditions such as chronic depression , ADHD , and OCD are commonly reported .
Around 1.4 million people in the U . S ., as well as 1 in 50 children , suffer from persistent tic disorders , including Tourette syndrome . However , it ’ s believed that at least half of all TS and tic disorder cases go undiagnosed and unreported . As such , the figures are likely much higher . Males suffer from TS at three to four times the rate of females . TS does not affect intelligence or life span ; unlike other neurological disorders , TS is not degenerative . TS may appear for periods of time , disappear , and then reappear .
TS onset most often presents in childhood . Children can and sometimes do grow out of it . Research indicates a likely genetic cause , with around 50 % of parents passing the condition along to their children . TS patients generally have brain abnormalities ( diagnosable via MRI scan ) in the basal ganglia , cortex , or frontal lobes , and / or neurotransmitters , including dopamine , serotonin , and norepinephrine .
20 April 2024
Most people with tic disorders perceive an onset as similar to sensing a sneeze or yawn coming on , and like those , it ’ s sometimes possible to control a tic . Many others , however , report they cannot . TS patients often report certain tics to be painful , and attempting to control them may prove even more painful than not controlling them .
There is no known cure for TS and tic disorders . However , patients can be provided with reassurance and education to help cope with social anxiety and manage the symptoms . Support and educational groups can be especially beneficial . 1
The only pharmaceuticals approved by the FDA to treat TS and tics are haloperidol ( Haldol ), pimozide ( Orap ), and aripiprazole ( Abilify ). These all come with side effects ( unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst ). Results reported by TS patients are far from impressive , with most patients reporting them as ineffective and side effects intolerable . After failing with these drugs , doctors commonly then try out various “ off-label ” drugs , often with similar results . As such , it ’ s common for TS patients to give up on pharmaceuticals .
Many patients with TS are finding relief from their symptoms with cannabis . In fact , cannabis is quite often the only drug that TS patients report as actually improving their symptoms , often dramatically so and with no unpleasant side effects . As is true with every other malady for which cannabis has already proven itself effective , the U . S . lags far behind other countries in its medical research . Where it concerns TS and tic disorders , we must rely on research from Israel , Germany , and Canada . Studies conducted in those countries on treating TS with cannabis show great promise . However , with cannabis still being federally classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic , medical researchers have their hands tied , particularly those who ever receive federal grant money ( which is most of them ). While The Tourette Association of America strongly endorses medical research into cannabis for treating TS , they dare not recommend cannabis for TS . Nevertheless , what they do have to say is encouraging . 2
In 1998 , neurologist and psychiatrist Kirsten Müller-Vahl , MD , and her associates at Germany ’ s Hannover Medical School conducted the first in a series of double-blind placebo tests treating TS patients with cannabis . The control group received a maximum daily dose of only 10mg THC . Even with such a small dose , 82 % experienced a “ reduction or complete remission of motor and vocal tics and amelioration of premonitory urges and OCD symptoms .” 3 Since that original study , Dr . Müller-Vahl and her associates conducted six additional studies on the effectiveness of treating TS and tic disorders with cannabis . All of their studies showed favorable outcomes .
Because of the likelihood of TS first presenting in childhood , it ’ s necessary to address the issue of cannabis use in children . Neurologists quite often won ’ t hesitate to prescribe potentially dangerous drugs ( which all TS drugs are ) to children , while at the same time , they ’ ll warn parents of the “ dangers of marijuana on developing brains .” While one should not ignore the potential impact of THC on a child ’ s developing brain , why then do doctors routinely ignore the far greater harms done to the brain of a child by pharmaceuticals with known dangerous side effects ? The risks of THC are dramatically less than any TS pharmaceutical . In 2018 , the parents ( both of whom are medical doctors ) of a 12-year-old with a severe case of Tourette Syndrome successfully treated their son using a combination of vaporized cannabis ( equiv .