Pharmacotherapy
For several decades now, treatment for tic disorders has been primarily pharmacological. Family doctors and neurologists (who specialize in movement disorders) prescribe medications and determine the right dosage and combinations. Pharmacotherapy is often accompanied by significant side effects.
Each individual reacts differently to medication. A drug’s benefits and side effects vary by person and over time.
At the moment, there is no medication that cures Tourette’s syndrome, and it is rare for tic disorders to be completely eliminated by a single drug.
One way of compensating for this drawback is to supplement pharmacotherapy with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
Our specialized cognitive-behavioural therapy intervention programs were developed from Azrin and Nunn’s habit reversal model, introduced in 1973. Studies on the efficacy of this kind of therapy generally report a reduction in the frequency of tics in 75% to 100% of cases, with improvement maintained after two years. Despite these promising results, the use of CBT to treat tic disorders is still a little-known and -recommended alternative in Quebec.
Dr. O'Connor of Montreal’s Fernand-Seguin Research Centre offers a cognitive, behavioural and psychophysiological intervention model aimed at preventing tics from occurring. The treatment is offered at the Fernand-Seguin Research Centre by psychologists trained in this approach.
For more information, please visit our Clinical Programs and Research section.