The Phenomenology of Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms in Tourette Syndrome

Abstract

Abstract In clinical practice, the boundary between symptoms arising from obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome (TS) is not easily determined. There are important areas of overlap between tics and compulsions that likely indicate a shared genetic vulnerability and a probable intersection of neurobiological structures and circuits, especially involving the basal ganglia. The frequency of this behavioral comorbidity varies across studies, confirming the heterogeneity of symptoms presentation in both disorders. Psychiatric comorbid diagnoses are more frequent in TS with comorbid OCD and include separation anxiety disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, grooming behaviors, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social and simple phobia. This chapter describes the complex phenomenology of obsessive–compulsive symptoms in TS and highlights the impact of this comorbidity on the occurrence of other behavioral problems, the burden of other psychiatric comorbidities, and its consequence with regard to treatment approaches.