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Personality disorder and psychopathology in Tourette's syndrome: A controlled study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Mary M. Robertson ,
Sube Banerjee ,
Paul J. Fox-Hiley  and
Charles Tannock
Mary M. Robertson*
Affiliation:
University College London Medical School, and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Sube Banerjee
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry
Paul J. Fox-Hiley
Affiliation:
Camden and Islington NSH Trust, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Charles Tannock
Affiliation:
Camden and Islington NSH Trust, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
*
Dr M. M. Robertson, Reader in Neuropsychiatry, University College London Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Middlesex Hospital Site, Mortimer Street, London WIN 8AA. Tel: (44) 171 380 9471 Fax: (44) 171 323 1459
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Abstract

Background

Some specialists associate a wide variety of psychopathologies with Tourette's syndrome (TS), while others suggest that there is no psychopathology specifically associated. Few controlled studies have been conducted to address this issue, and none has investigated personality disorder in TS.

Method

Adults with TS and controls were evaluated using standardised psychiatric rating scales, including self-rated (STPCD) and clinician-rated (SCID–II) assessments of personality disorder, to investigate associations between personality disorder, other psychopathology and TS.

Results

Significantly more TS patients (25/39 (64%)) than controls (2/34 (6%)) had one or more personality disorders. TS subjects were also more likely to have more personality disorders. TS patients had significantly more depression, anxiety and obsessionality than controls. The SCID–II and STCPD were moderately well correlated.

Conclusions

TS patients have a high prevalence of personality disorder and psychopathology when compared with controls. These results are the first to suggest a high level of personality disorder in a TS clinic population.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 3 , September 1997 , pp. 283 - 286
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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