During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been multiple reports about an unforeseen surge in adolescents and young adults exhibiting sudden onset functional tic-like behaviors. This phenomenon has been mainly associated with the female gender and occasionally after exposure to social media content featuring similar patterns of functional tic-like behaviors. A significant portion of these individuals have been directed to specialist clinics for movement disorders with initial misdiagnoses of late-onset refractory Tourette syndrome. Distinguishing between rapid onset functional tic-like behaviors and neurodevelopmental tics as part of Tourette syndrome can be challenging; however, the differential diagnosis is facilitated by focusing on specific clinical and demographic factors, which we have explored in a systematic literature review. Compared to neurodevelopmental tics, functional tic-like behaviors typically present with a more abrupt and intense manifestation of symptoms, onset at a later age, higher prevalence among females, inability to suppress tics, coexisting anxiety and depression, and sometimes a history of exposure to social media content portraying tic-like behaviors of a similar nature. This novel manifestation of a functional neurological disorder may thus be viewed as an emerging neuropsychiatric condition potentially triggered/exacerbated by the psychosocial repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis.

Cavanna, A., Spini, L., Ferrari, S., Purpura, G., Riva, A., Nacinovich, R., et al. (2024). Functional Tic-like Behaviors: From the COVID-19 Pandemic to the Post-Pandemic Era. HEALTHCARE, 12(11 (June 2024)) [10.3390/healthcare12111106].

Functional Tic-like Behaviors: From the COVID-19 Pandemic to the Post-Pandemic Era

Cavanna, Andrea Eugenio
Primo
;
Spini, Laura;Ferrari, Silvia;Purpura, Giulia;Riva, Anna;Nacinovich, Renata
Penultimo
;
2024

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been multiple reports about an unforeseen surge in adolescents and young adults exhibiting sudden onset functional tic-like behaviors. This phenomenon has been mainly associated with the female gender and occasionally after exposure to social media content featuring similar patterns of functional tic-like behaviors. A significant portion of these individuals have been directed to specialist clinics for movement disorders with initial misdiagnoses of late-onset refractory Tourette syndrome. Distinguishing between rapid onset functional tic-like behaviors and neurodevelopmental tics as part of Tourette syndrome can be challenging; however, the differential diagnosis is facilitated by focusing on specific clinical and demographic factors, which we have explored in a systematic literature review. Compared to neurodevelopmental tics, functional tic-like behaviors typically present with a more abrupt and intense manifestation of symptoms, onset at a later age, higher prevalence among females, inability to suppress tics, coexisting anxiety and depression, and sometimes a history of exposure to social media content portraying tic-like behaviors of a similar nature. This novel manifestation of a functional neurological disorder may thus be viewed as an emerging neuropsychiatric condition potentially triggered/exacerbated by the psychosocial repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
functional tic-like behaviors; neurodevelopmental tics; tic-like behaviors; Tourette syndrome;
English
28-mag-2024
2024
12
11 (June 2024)
1106
open
Cavanna, A., Spini, L., Ferrari, S., Purpura, G., Riva, A., Nacinovich, R., et al. (2024). Functional Tic-like Behaviors: From the COVID-19 Pandemic to the Post-Pandemic Era. HEALTHCARE, 12(11 (June 2024)) [10.3390/healthcare12111106].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Cavanna-2024-Healthcare (Switzerland)-VoR.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Cavanna-2024-Healthcare
Tipologia di allegato: Publisher’s Version (Version of Record, VoR)
Licenza: Creative Commons
Dimensione 605.1 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
605.1 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/486881
Citazioni
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
Social impact