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The audiogenic startle response in Tourette's syndrome
Author(s) -
Stell R.,
Thickbroom G. W.,
Mastaglia F. L.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.870100605
Subject(s) - tics , moro reflex , startle response , psychology , tourette syndrome , audiology , asymptomatic , tourette's syndrome , medicine , neuroscience , reflex , psychiatry
We report the results of a study in which we examined the auditory startle responses (ASR) of 8 patients with Tourette's syndrome and 15 normal controls, none of whom reported or manifested exaggerated startle responses clinically. The ASR in two patients failed to habituate with repetition, a finding not present in any of the controls. There was no correlation between the presence or absence of exaggerated ASRs and the severity of the patients' tics. This study demonstrates that some patients with Tourette's syndrome have exaggerated audiogenic startle responses that may be clinically asymptomatic.