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Review
. 2018;5(2):95-100.
doi: 10.1007/s40474-018-0137-2. Epub 2018 Mar 27.

A Comprehensive Review of Tourette Syndrome and Complementary Alternative Medicine

Ashutosh Kumar  1 , L Duda  1 , G Mainali  1 , S Asghar  1 , D Byler  1
Affiliations
Review

A Comprehensive Review of Tourette Syndrome and Complementary Alternative Medicine

Ashutosh Kumar et al. Curr Dev Disord Rep. 2018.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric condition defined by both motor and phonic tics over a period of at least 1 year with the onset before 18 years of age. The purpose of this article is to review the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) in children and adults with Tourette syndrome with emphasis on recent research.

Recent findings: Most patients do not tell their physician about the use of CAM unless if specifically asked. Of the studies reviewed, description of the treatment and the frequency of use were most often reported. Few studies examine the role or effectiveness of CAM in the treatment of TS specifically.

Summary: Practitioners should be aware of current research regarding various CAM modalities used for TS patients, including efficacy, potential adverse effects, and interactions with medications. Robust data about the use of CAM, efficacy, and potential side effects is lacking and requires further research to clarify optimal use.

Keywords: Complementary alternative medicine (CAM); Integrative medicine; Tic; Tourette syndrome (TS).

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical StandardsDebra Byler has served as chair of the Data Monitoring Committee for Alexion Pharma and received consulting fees. Ashutosh Kumar, L Duda, Gayatra Mainali, and Sheila Asghar declare that they have no competing interests.This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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