Psychopharmacotherapy in Patients with Tics and Other Motor Disorders

Abstract

Tics are defined as involuntary, sudden, nonrhythmic, rapid movements and/or sounds, with onset in childhood or adolescence. The first-line treatment for tics is cognitive behavioral therapy, but when behavior therapy is unsuccessful and tics still cause troublesome, pharmacotherapy is recommended. α-Adrenergic agonists clonidine and guanfacine are commonly used drugs for pharmacotherapy of tics. Anti-dopaminergic drugs, i.e., antipsychotic drugs, are also effective pharmacotherapeutics for tics, with fewer adverse effects. Huntington disease (HD) is another motor disorder and a progressive autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor, behavioral, and cognitive decline, resulting in death within 15-20 years after disease diagnosis. Yijing Bai and Long Niu contributed equally with all other contributors.