Tic‐induced gait dysfunction

Background: Many neurological disorders impair gait, but only a few of them are episodic or paroxysmal, the most important ones being freezing of gait and paroxysmal dyskinesias. Methods: We describe 4 patients with tic disorders (3 with Tourette syndrome, and 1 with a tic disorder secondary to vascular disease) in whom intrusion of complex motor tics interfered with normal progression of stepping, thus producing an episodic gait disorder. Results: The involuntary movements that interfered with gait had features typical for tics, including their brief, sudden, irresistible, inapposite, and nonrhythmic recurrence. The motor behavior resembled tripping (n = 2), “blocking” of gait, or hip movements minimally interfering with gait. Conclusions: Tic‐induced gait disturbance is an episodic gait disorder occurring in patients with tics and should be recognized as a possible cause of episodic gait disturbances. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society