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Tics and TikTok: Functional Tics Spread Through Social Media
1Pediatric Movement Disorders Clinic Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience Texas Children's Hospital Baylor College of Medicine Houston Texas 77030 USA.
Movement Disorders Clinical Practice
|November 12, 2021
Summary
Social media may be contributing to the spread of functional neurologic symptom disorder. This study observed tic-like movements in teenage girls who were exposed to a social media personality.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
Background:
- Functional neurologic symptom disorder (FNSD) involves involuntary physical symptoms incongruent with organic disease.
- Historically, FNSD outbreaks occurred in geographically co-located groups.
- The digital age presents new potential pathways for symptom dissemination.
Observation:
- Six adolescent girls presented with sudden-onset, tic-like movements.
- The mean age of symptom onset was 14.2 years.
- Patients reported exposure to a specific social media personality prior to symptom development.
Findings:
- Clinical features were incongruent with Tourette syndrome, leading to a diagnosis of functional tics.
- A common factor among patients was exposure to a particular social media influencer.
- This suggests a potential link between social media engagement and the development of functional tics.
Implications:
- Social media may serve as a novel vector for the spread of functional neurologic symptom disorder.
- This phenomenon highlights the influence of online content on neurological and behavioral symptoms.
- Understanding these new transmission dynamics is crucial for public health and clinical management.
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