A thirteen-year-old boy has had one year history of multiple tic-like movements involving the face, neck, and upper extremities, involuntary spitting and vocalization, and compulsive repetion of certain movements, such as repeatedly touching hot stove with his fingers. His school performance was excellent.
Aside from the above symptoms, routine physical and neurological examinations were unremarkable. Laboratory studies, including skull and chest X-rays, liver function tests, and C.S.F. studies, were within normal limits. The electroencephalogram demonstrated intermittent runs of low amplitude semirhythmic 5-6.c/s slow wave activity intermixed with low amplitude sharp waves at the bicen troparietal regions and the vertex.
Under the diagnosis of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, haloperidol was given by mouth. Dramatic improvement ensued, and the patient remained almost symptom free except rare grimacing of the face when he was seen four weeks later. He was on 1/3 gm of the drug twice a day.
This paper presents a case of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome which was successfully treated with haloperidol, and reviews pertinent literatures.
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