Tics: neurological disorders determined by a deficit in sensorimotor gating processes

Abstract

Tic related disorders affect 4–20% of the population, mostly idiopathic, can be grouped in a wide spectrum of severity, where the most severe end is Tourette Syndrome (TS). Tics are arrhythmic hyperkinesias to whom execution the subject is forced by a “premonitory urge” that can be classified as sensory tic, just-right experience or urge without obsession. If an intact volitional inhibition allows patients to temporarily suppress tics, a lack or deficit in automatic inhibition is involved in the genesis of the disorder. Studies have assessed the presence of intrinsic microscopic and macroscopic anomalies in striatal circuits and relative cortical areas in association with a hyperdopaminergic state in the basal forebrain. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex is a measure of inhibitory functions by which a weak sensory stimulus inhibits the elicitation of a startle response determined by a sudden intense stimulus. It is considered an operation measure of sensorimotor gating, a neural process by which unnecessary stimuli are eliminated from awareness. Evidence points out that the limbic domain of the CSTC loops, dopamine and GABA receptors within the striatum play an important role in PPI modulation. It is conceivable that a sensorimotor gating deficit may be involved in the genesis of premonitory urge and symptoms. Therefore, correcting the sensorimotor gating deficit may be considered a target for tic-related disorders therapies; in such case PPI (as well as other indirect estimators of sensorimotor gating) could represent therapeutic impact predictors.

А new coronavirus infection associated CNS involvement in children: literature review and clinical case description

“…Иммунные клетки способны продуцировать нейропептиды и нейротрансмиттеры, такие как серотонин, ацетилхолин и эндорфины. Изменения в путях синтеза дофамина и серотонина могут быть вовлечены в патофизиологию COVID-19 и обуславливать развитие тикозных гиперкинезов [55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63].…”

Prepulse inhibition deficit as a transdiagnostic process in neuropsychiatric disorders: a systematic review

“…For example, in the case of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the deficit in patients varies depending on methodological differences among studies [ 68 ], as differences with controls or normal PPI ratios are found depending on the psychopharmacological status of the patients [ 71 , 72 ]. However, it appears that the deficit in OCD is mediated by the prior presence of tics among patients [ 71 ], which makes sense considering the clear sensorimotor gating deficit in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome [ 34 , 73 , 74 ].…”

The external evocation and movement-related modulation of motor cortex inhibition in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome – a TMS/EEG study

“…In this sense, deficits in inhibitory circuits in children and adolescents with TS might be compensated by reducing the gain in corticospinal excitability. Consequently, this would lead to decreased sensitivity to changes in input from other brain areas or external stimuli ( Schilke et al, 2022 ).…”