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OCD, ADHD most common psychiatric disorders in Tourette Syndrome
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The most common psychiatric comorbidities among those with Tourette Syndrome include obsessive compulsive disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to data reported in JAMA Psychiatry.
“Our results have implications both clinically and for ongoing research into the causes and etiologic relationships between these psychiatric disorders,” the researchers wrote.
They collected phenotypic data from genetic studies that included patients with Tourette Syndrome (n = 1,374; aged 6 years or older) and their unaffected parents and siblings (n = 1,142) between 1992 and 2008.
Data indicate an 85.7% lifetime prevalence of any psychiatric comorbidity among individuals with Tourette Syndrome, and 57.7% of the population had two or more psychiatric disorders.
The most common psychiatric conditions were OCD (50%) and ADHD (54.3%); 72.1% of those with Tourette Syndrome met the DSM-IV criteria for either disorder, according to researchers.
Females were more likely to have OCD (57.1%) compared with males (47.5%; P < .01), according to data. However, males were more likely to have ADHD (58.5% vs. 42.3%), they wrote.
Additional data indicated the high-risk period for onset began at age 4 years for anxiety disorders, age 7 years for mood disorders, and age 13 years for substance use and eating disorders.
Patients with Tourette Syndrome had an increased risk for anxiety (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1-1.9), but a decreased risk for substance use disorders (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9), according to data.
Genetic relationships were observed between Tourette Syndrome, OCD, ADHD, anxiety disorders, mood disorders and disruptive behavior disorders, the researchers added. – by Samantha Costa
Disclosure: Scharf reports receiving research support, honoraria, and travel support from the Tourette Syndrome Association. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.