ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Our study involved performing brain perfusion SPECT scans on Tourette's subjects to observe any common perfusion abnormalities involving the cerebral cortex or subcortical structures. METHOD: Six patients with Tourette's syndrome and nine normal control subjects underwent a brain SPECT study with 99mTc-HMPAO. Regions of interest were generated over the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus and cerebellum to evaluate any relative perfusion abnormalities or asymmetry in the Tourette's subjects. RESULTS: Five of the six Tourette's subjects demonstrated a significant decrease in right basal ganglia activity which was not present in any of the normal control subjects. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an etiology for Tourette's syndrome involving the right basal ganglia. Furthermore, brain SPECT may be useful in the evaluation of these patients if it proves to be sufficiently sensitive and specific in larger study populations.
Subject(s)
Brain/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon , Tourette Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Basal Ganglia/diagnostic imaging , Basal Ganglia/physiopathology , Brain/physiopathology , Female , Functional Laterality , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Organotechnetium Compounds , Oximes , Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime , Tourette Syndrome/physiopathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A retrospective study of 138 children with Tourette's syndrome for associated school problems revealed that at the time of initial evaluation, 64 subjects (46%) experienced a school-related problem. OBJECTIVE: To survey a childhood population with Tourette's syndrome to explore the contributions of neurobehavioral concomitants to academic difficulties. RESULTS: A diagnosis of a specific learning disorder had previously been made in 30 (22%) of 138 children. Among the 108 without a diagnosis of learning disorder, 36 (33%) experienced school difficulties defined as grade retention (16 [15%]) and/or special education placement (41 [38%]). Regression analysis of subjects without a diagnosis of learning disability revealed that the presence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder served as a significant predictor of school problems. CONCLUSIONS: Tics represented the primary reason for referral, but did not emerge as a significant predictor of academic problems. Rather, school-related difficulties appeared to be strongly associated with comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
