Tourette's Syndrome- a bibliographic review and a three case report. The Tourette's Syndrome (TS), considered in the past as a rare condition - a medical curiosity- has been object of growing concern both in the literature and neuropsychiatric practice. Recent epidemiological studies show that the pathology is much more frequent than it was thought before. Association with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is well established integrating this syndrome to the "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Spectrum", world-wide neuroscientific field of research. This paper reviews the literature about the TS and discusses historical aspects, etiologic theories, diagnostics clinical features and treatment. Three case studies are reported and discussed, including a case of "tourettism" and peculiarities of TS in a mentally retarded boy.
Tourette Syndrome; Gilles de la Tourette; tics; tourettism
