Neuropsychological evaluation in the diagnosis and treatment of Tourette's syndrome.
Run a short neuropsych battery plus urge ratings to guide both diagnosis and exposure-based tic treatment.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hatton et al. (2005) wrote a narrative review. They pulled together tests for executive function, attention, and memory. The goal was to give clinicians a ready-made battery for Tourette's syndrome.
The paper is not a new experiment. It is a map of which neuropsych tools best show cognitive strengths and weak spots.
What they found
The review lists the key tests to include. It shows how scores help tell Tourette's apart from other disorders. It also links test results to treatment choices.
How this fits with other research
Ahlborn et al. (2008) extends this idea. They took the premonitory 'urge' data from the battery and built an exposure plus response prevention treatment. Tic drops tracked the drop in urge ratings.
Buse et al. (2014) adds another layer. Their review says stress can spike tics through stress-hormone paths. So you may see test scores swing if the client had a rough morning.
Perez et al. (2015) looked at motor tools for severe disabilities. Both papers agree: pick instruments with solid psychometric legs, but expect gaps in reliability data.
Why it matters
Use the battery to see the full cognitive picture, not just tic counts. Pair it with brief urge ratings during exposure sessions to watch habituation in real time. Note stress levels on test day; they can blur the results. A clear profile guides where to put your behavioral focus first.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The neurobiological basis of Tourette's syndrome is reviewed for the purpose of presenting a clinically relevant account of the neuropsychology of the disorder for the clinician who is behaviorally oriented. The neuropathology and neuropsychological deficits typically found in Tourette's are reviewed, and a neuropsychological test battery is described that can be used to help characterize the clinical presentation of the disorder. Although Tourette's syndrome is ultimately diagnosed by behavioral criteria, characterizing the cognitive deficits (or lack thereof) associated with the disorder is integral to fully appreciating the challenges posed by the disorder in any given case. The variety of cognitive deficits associated with Tourette's is reviewed to show the importance of the neuropsychological evaluation in differential diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic decisions.
Behavior modification, 2005 · doi:10.1177/0145445505279380