Treatment resistance in tourette syndrome

Abstract

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the presence of multiple motor and phonic tics that begin during childhood and persist for more than 1 year. TS is frequently associated with psychopathology, and its treatment is particularly challenging, as the genetics, neurophysiology, and neuropathology of the disorder remain largely unknown. Moreover, there are currently no guidelines for the treatment of refractory TS. In this chapter, we review routine strategies for the management of refractory TS, as well as the therapeutic potential of novel pharmacological approaches, deep brain stimulation (DBS), and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).