The Resolution of the Latah Paradox

Simons, Ronald C.

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-5251-5_4

Cited by 16 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…A recent newspaper article harvested 12 of these individuals some of whom reported throwing or dropping objects, jumping, uncontrollable vocalisations and in one instance involuntary cursing in response to surprise or startle. 39 In three (5%) of our patients startle consistently induced eyeblink tics, a generalised myoclonic body jerk or jumps. Of Shapiro's patients'3 1-4% were also mentioned as having a startle reaction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

A clinical study of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome in the United Kingdom.

Lees¹,

Robertson²,

Trimble³

et al. 1984

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry

154

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY The clinical features of 53 British-born patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome are described. The mean age at onset of body tics was seven years and for vocalisations 11 years. Coprolalia was present in 39%, copropraxia in 21%, echolalia in 46% and echopraxia in 21%. Complicated antics and mannerisms were also common, often involving the compulsive touching of objects or self-injurious behaviour. Forty-six per cent of cases had a family history of tics in a single close relative and in two individuals a further member of the family had Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Focal dystonia was present in four patients who had never received neuroleptics drugs and chorea was seen in two other untreated patients. In three patients acoustic startle consistently induced brief eye blink followed by a whole body jerk or jump. Rapid repetitive movements of the hands increased the frequency and severity of tics in 13 patients, but the performance of mental arithmetic under time pressure had a much more unpredictable effect. Electroencephalographic abnormalities occurred in eight (13%) but no definite CT brain scan abnormalities were detected. The incidence of left handedness did not differ from that in the general population and no evidence to suggest organic impairment was found on neuropsychological testing. This study provides no support for the notion that Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system but provides some evidence for heterogeneity.Tics are abrupt variable, usually repetitive coordinated muscular jerks which are relatively easy to imitate and can be voluntarily suppressed for considerable periods of time. Their pathophysiology remains obscure but they have in the past generally been considered to be environmentally determined-as Charcot put it "a psychical disorder in a physical guise". However, recent neurophysiological studies suggest that tics are not generated through the motor pathways used for normal self-paced voluntary movement' and there has been a recent swing towards considering this phenomenon to have an underlying neurogenic cause.2 Tic disorders range in severity from the single acute transient tic, which affects up to 10% of children, to the uncommon and sometimes socially

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

A clinical study of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome in the United Kingdom.

Lees¹,

Robertson²,

Trimble³

et al. 1984

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry

154

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Third, there were great debates on Latah paradox in the early 1980's between psychiatrists and medical anthropologists [38,39]. They argued whether Latah is a locally specific phenomenon (a culture-bound syndrome) or a common syndrome that can be classified in a taxonomy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does the ‘hikikomori’ syndrome of social withdrawal exist outside Japan? A preliminary international investigation

Kato

Tateno

Shinfuku

et al. 2011

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol

195

191

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose To explore whether the ‘hikikomori’ syndrome (social withdrawal) described in Japan exists in other countries, and if so, how patients with the syndrome are diagnosed and treated. Methods Two hikikomori case vignettes were sent to psychiatrists in Australia, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the USA. Participants rated the syndrome's prevalence in their country, etiology, diagnosis, suicide risk, and treatment. Results Out of 247 responses to the questionnaire (123 from Japan and 124 from other countries), 239 were enrolled in the analysis. Respondents’ felt the hikikomori syndrome is seen in all countries examined and especially in urban areas. Biopsychosocial, cultural, and environmental factors were all listed as probable causes of hikikomori, and differences among countries were not significant. Japanese psychiatrists suggested treatment in outpatient wards and some did not think that psychiatric treatment is necessary. Psychiatrists in other countries opted for more active treatment such as hospitalization. Conclusions Patients with the hikikomori syndrome are perceived as occurring across a variety of cultures by psychiatrists in multiple countries. Our results provide a rational basis for study of the existence and epidemiology of hikikomori in clinical or community populations in international settings.

show abstract

“…41 Hyperekplexia may also be misdiagnosed as cerebral palsy 7. The differential diagnoses in adulthood includes neurological disorders with hypertonia like the Issacs Mertens syndrome,33 the jumping Frenchman of Maine,42or somewhat similar clinical entities reported in different parts of the world (for example, miryachit in Siberia43 and latah in Malaysia and Indonesia44), Gilles de la Tourette syndrome,33 and Swartz Jampel syndrome 33…”

Section: Differential Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%