MMK (Channel 2) Exposure of the Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association

Finally, we got the exposure for MMK at abs-cbn. This is our very recent TV exposure (2009). They will feature the life of Jerome Concepcion who is one of the members of the organization (Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association). And the lead actor will be Gerald Anderson. Please stand by for the date and time of the episode coming this November. You can also watch it in TFC Channel overseas.

Having Tics? Here's What You Need To Do

Having Tics? Here’s What You Need To Do


If you are experiencing tics (sudden, repetitive movements or sounds) most of your life or if you have observed that your child has been experiencing some form of uncontrollable movements which you cannot explain, DO NOT DISREGARD. At first we may think that the movements may just be mannerisms that they will overcome in the long run--think twice and address. It is always a better way not to disregard especially if the movements bother you or the person who has it.

Though, we may not conclude that you or somebody close to you is having Tourette Syndrome, here is the basis for it. Doctors actually use The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for making the diagnosis. If you happen to fall on this criteria then you may have Tourette Syndrome.

DSM-IV Criteria for Tourette Syndrome:

• both multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics must be present at
the same time, although not necessarily concurrently;
• the tics must occur many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly every
day or intermittently over more than 1 year, during which time there
must not have been a tic-free period of more than 3 consecutive months;
• the age at onset must be less than 18 years;
• the disturbance must not be due to the direct physiological effects of
a substance (e.g. stimulants) or a general medical condition (e.g.
Huntington's disease or postviral encephalitis).

Having said that, the DSM-IV is not the only tool for diagnosing the disorder, doctors may also ask for the history--- how you come to notice the tics especially the frequency and types of tics. Just to refresh your memory on what Tourette Syndrome is all about, please read “What You Need To Know About Tourette Syndrome”.

Now, you may be wondering what you will undergo having those kinds of repetitive movements. It is very important to visit the doctor as soon as you notice the tics. It is better to address everything as soon as possible rather than later. Be prepared for tons of questions. The doctor will definitely look at the family’s medical history, the person’s symptoms and other clues to make a diagnosis. However, there are no standard tests for TS. Oftentimes, the doctors may use imaging tests like computerized tomography scan (CT Scan), electroencephalograms (EEG’s), magnetic resonance imaging tests (MRIs) and blood tests to rule out other conditions that might have symptoms similar to Tourette Syndrome.

TOURETTE SYNDROME IS NOT A PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS, for people who want to be finally diagnosed, please go directly to a NEUROLOGIST or a MOVEMENT DISORDER SPECIALIST. But do not be surprised if you will be referred to a psychiatrist or a psychologist, they will also help in addressing certain issues involved with TS. Oftentimes, these people work together to finally come up with a correct diagnosis and eventually help the person seek treatment.

Since Tourette Syndrome is a SPECTRUM DISORDER ( a combination of tics, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and other neurobehavioral disorders) other symptoms that may last for a longer period of time needs to be taken into consideration especially if they interfere with the normal function of the individual. Upon diagnosis, it is also suggested that you come to a neuropsychologist or clinical psychologist who are experts in handling special population such as TS for a deeper evaluation. Why do you need to do this? This will help you understand more of the issues or problems associated with TS in the behavioral, psychological, and social aspect which according to some parents, are more debilitating than the tics themselves. Counseling or psychotherapy is also a big help since it is proven to be effective treatment modality in medical clientele such as TS individuals.

In order to help you or your loved one cope with TS, it is very important for you to;

· EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT TS. Read on articles, journals, books, newspapers, and other resources about Tourette Syndrome. In this way, you can also educate others as well especially those people who will be dealing with TS in the long run.
· KEEP A JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF YOUR DISORDER. Jotting down important situations in your life that may be relevant in identifying specific factors associated with your disorder may help you a lot.
· OBSERVE, MONITOR AND DOCUMENT YOUR TICS. Keeping track of your symptoms will help you see the progress of your disorder and find out specific treatments that may be effective during the course of your illness.
· GET INVOLVED. Since TS is just new in the Philippines, we will all find great comfort if we get to learn from each others experiences with TS and offer a helping hand.
· FIND EXTERNAL SUPPORT. Join organizations or support groups offering services for the people involved with TS. In the Philippines, you can join the Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association to know other Filipinos involved.
· STRENGTHEN FAMILY SUPPORT. If the family is intact in providing support for the individual with TS, the person can go a long way in coping with the disorder better.
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Reference: Kids Health Website, 2007
Tourette Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria, 2004

A Letter for a Grateful Mother

A letter surprised me from my inbox this morning. I got pretty excited again to think that TAWM site and my drive for TS awareness in the Philippines (PTSA) has been serving its purpose.

Here goes my reply:

Hello Ms. Cynthia. I am very grateful that there are people like you who are appreciating the work that I’m doing here in TAWM site and in behalf of all the PTSA heads and members. I may not be able to relieve your pain of dealing with TS eversince your child has been diagnosed to have it but by understanding and believing in it, I hope I can make it possible for you to bear it. Your experiences and struggles are the same as those people who are also dealing with TS themselves. You are not alone. Being a parent of a kid with TS is truly not a simple task. The confusions and assumptions before the diagnosis are already challenges. Moreover, upon diagnosis and the managements after the diagnosis are great challenges furthermore.

I admire you for educating yourself about the disorder. This is what we all need prior, during and after diagnosis. Everybody needs to know if not a lot, even a little about the disorder. This will help us understand the facts instead of placing our judgements on misconceptions. I would just like to remind you to keep doing that and learn about TS in all perspectives (medical, psychological, behavioral, etc.) In that way, your ideas will not be single-focused. It is important for the TS- diagnosed to be understood in all levels.

Please continue to be an active member of PTSA network. Although, we are buds in this endeavor, through yours and the other members’ help, the possibilities are endless.

Regards to you and your family, and I’m looking forward to see you in all of PTSA’s future activities.

The Pathophysiology of Tourette Syndrome

When we talk about the pathophysiology of a certain disease, we mean to say the study of abnormal functions in the body and how disease processes work. For Tourette syndrome, looking at the structures of the brain and other important chemicals that said to be responsible for the disorder is also a consequential review.

It is widely reported that the pathophysiology for Tourette syndrome had not been fully understood. Dr. Kirk Frey and Dr. Roger Albin presented that there were only limited insights as to what abnormalities could have been underlying Tourette syndrome when traditional neuroimaging techniques were used. They also said that because there were only a few persons diagnosed with Tourette syndrome who die early in life, they were limited to a few post-mortem brains to study and that these brains came mostly from adults. Nevertheless, most researches point out to neurotransmitters in the brain, their circuitry and a few structures that are responsible for the make up of Tourette syndrome.

Considering neurotransmitters in the brain, researches say that Tourette syndrome is a result from an abnormal activity in a chemical in the brain called dopamine. Neuroimaging studies revealed that dopamine is produced excessively in persons with the disorder. Dopamine is a kind of neurotransmitter in the brain. Aside from norepinephrine, dopamine is a catecholamine responsible for controlling movements and regulating hormonal responses. Dopamine is also the one responsible for psychiatric symptoms such as psychosis.

There are three specific circuits it undergoes. First, the regulation of bodily movements. Dopamine is involved in the production of tics in a person with Tourette syndrome. The excessive amount of dopamine that regulates in the structures of the brain, is said to be one of the emerging causes of the reproduction of the repetitive, uncontrollable body movements. Whereas in a person who exhibits rigidity in muscle movements or there is difficulty in moving is equated to practically absence of dopamine circulating.

The second circuitry is for emotion and cognition. Abnormalities in this system of circuitry are the one responsible for the production of psychotic manifestations.

The third is for the regulation of the endocrine system. Its primary action for this organ is to direct the release of hormones into the bloodstream.

Information about dopamine is essential in the understanding of where it actually goes wrong in the brain in the case of Tourette syndrome. Knowing that its excessive reproduction is important in connecting the occurence of tics of people with Tourette syndrome is essential as well. The circuitry passes through deep within the brain in a structure called the basal ganglia. But because all the circuits inside the brain happen simultaneously, it also involves not only the basal ganglia but also some other parts of the brain such as the cortical, subcortical regions of the brain, the thalamus and frontal cortex, all are located deep within the fore brain. Each structure has its own function in the transmission of the neurotransmitters in the brain. All is described to be but one whole operating system. In an article written by Steve Olson, he mentioned that the operating system described in a person with Tourette syndrome, according to Dr. Jonathan Mink, a neuroscientist in the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, is in a way buggy. This description again goes back to studies from neuroimaging techniques that demonstrated abnormality in dopamine release, dopamine reception and pathways involved in the transmission of this neurotransmitter.