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Tourette Syndrome and Driving
Author(s) -
Makhoul Karim,
Jankovic Joseph
Publication year - 2021
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/mdc3.13225
Subject(s) - tics , blepharospasm , tourette syndrome , movement disorders , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychology , tourette's syndrome , medicine , dystonia , audiology , neuroscience , psychiatry , disease
Background Driving ability may be impaired in patients with various movement disorders, but it has not been studied in patients with Tourette syndrome (TS). Cases We describe a series of 6 patients from our large cohort of TS patients followed in our movement disorders clinic in whom severe tics have had interfered with their driving abilities. The motor tics involved facial muscles and caused visual impairment because of frequent blinking and transient blepharospasm (dystonic tic), but complex limb and truncal tics also seriously impacted their driving. Conclusions Although majority of patients with TS have no functional impairment, severe motor tics in some patients may adversely affect their driving ability, potentially causing danger to themselves and others. Screening for such troublesome tics should be considered in patients with TS, particularly in teenagers who are being evaluated for driver's licensing.