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Tic Phenomenology and Tic Awareness in Adults With Autism
Author(s) -
Kahl Ursula,
Schunke Odette,
Schöttle Daniel,
David Nicole,
Brandt Valerie,
Bäumer Tobias,
Roessner Veit,
Münchau Alexander,
Ganos Christos
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
movement disorders clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.754
H-Index - 18
ISSN - 2330-1619
DOI - 10.1002/mdc3.12154
Subject(s) - tics , psychology , autism spectrum disorder , tourette syndrome , tic disorder , autism , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , audiology , medicine
ABSTRACT Background: Tics are common in people with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ). However, their phenomenology and characteristics have not been studied in detail. Methods: Based on video sequences of 21 adults with ASD without intellectual disability and 16 adults with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome ( GTS ), tic severity, tic repertoires, and tic awareness were determined. Results: Ten ASD and all GTS participants had tics during video recordings. The ASD group had significantly fewer tics, compared to GTS . Tic distribution and tic repertoires were comparable, but more restricted in ASD . All GTS participants, but only 5 of the 10 ASD participants, were aware of their tics. Conclusions: Tics are common in adults with ASD . They are indistinguishable from tics in GTS and are similarly distributed, but less severe. Tic awareness is limited in ASD .