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Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Generating Acute and Chronic Experimental Models of Motor Tic Expression in Rats
Published on: May 27, 2021
What are the Key Phenomenological Clues to Diagnose Functional Tic-Like Behaviors in the Pandemic Era?
Christelle Nilles1,2, Davide Martino3,4,5, Lindsay Berg3
1Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Background:
Functional tic-like behaviors (FTLBs) can be difficult to distinguish from tics.
Objectives:
To describe the phenomenology of FTLBs in youth and assess the movements and vocalizations most suggestive of the diagnosis.
Methods:
We compared the phenomenology of tics between youth (<20 yr) with FTLBs and with primary tics from our Registry in Calgary, Canada.
Results:
Two hundred and thirty-six youths were included: 195 with primary tics (75% males; mean age: 10.8 yr) and 41 with FTLBs (98% females; 16.1 yr). In the bivariate models, FTLBs were most associated with copropraxia (OR = 15.5), saying words (OR = 14.5), coprolalia (OR = 13.1), popping (OR = 11.0), whistling (OR = 9.8), simple head movements (OR = 8.6), and self-injurious behaviors (OR = 6.9). In the multivariable model, FTLBs were still associated with saying words (OR = 13.5) and simple head movements (OR = 6.3). Only 12.2% of youth with FTLBs had throat clearing tics (OR = 0.2).
Conclusions:
This study shall help physicians diagnose youth with FTLBs according to the presence/association of specific movements and vocalizations.
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