Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

Generating Acute and Chronic Experimental Models of Motor Tic Expression in Rats
Published on: May 27, 2021
Echoes from childhood--imitation in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome
Jennifer Finis1, Agnes Moczydlowski, Bettina Pollok
1Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Background:
Tourette syndrome patients are reported to show automatic imitation (echopraxia), but this has not yet been proven experimentally.
Methods:
Video clips showing either tics of other Tourette patients or spontaneous movements of healthy subjects were presented to Tourette patients and healthy subjects. Participants' responses were assessed using blinded review of video recordings by 2 independent raters and related to stimuli presented.
Results:
Both raters detected more echoes in patients. In a permutation analysis, no healthy subject had echoes above chance level. In contrast, 6 and 5 patients were classified as echoers according to rater 1 and rater 2, respectively, in 1 analysis, and 9 patients were so classified in a second analysis (according to rater 2 only). Concordance between raters was high. Patients echoed both following stimuli showing tics and following stimuli showing spontaneous movements. Most echoes were part of patients' individual tic repertoire.
Conclusions:
Echopraxia is a hallmark of Tourette syndrome.
Related Concept Videos
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Nonconscious Mimicry
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Observational Learning
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
