[The concept of tic in the history of abnormal movements]

History of abnormal movements started during the 14th century. At that time the St Vitus' Dance was described, but the nosology of dyskinesias remained confusing during the next five centuries. The concept of tic was elaborated in France during the 18th century. It remained too large a concept however. Definitive semiologies appeared at the end of the 19th century, thus allowing tics to emerge from the "chaos of choreas". The etymology of the word "tic" still remains mysterious. In 1905, Meige thought that the word tic was used for the first time by reference to horses. He referred to the tic of the bear in the horse described by Rudler and Chomel at The Société de Neurologie de Paris in 1903. Veterinarians were thus probably the first to describe the word. If so, however, the horse must leave anteriority to the goat. The word Ticq was used in 1611 as mentioned by the French dictionary Robert. The word is said to be an onomatopea and is compared to the italian word ticchio which means caprice. Another dictionary (Littré) suggest the german word "ticken", which means "to touch slightly", the galic word tacaid (sudden pain) and the german ziki (young goat), a word which could have lead to ticchio as capra, goat in italian, gave capricio.