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Personality disorder and psychopathology in Tourette's syndrome: a controlled study
M M Robertson1, S Banerjee, P J Hiley
1University College London Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Middlesex Hospital Site.
Background:
Some specialists associate a wide variety of psychopathologies with Tourette's syndrome (TS), while others suggest that there is no psychopathology specifically associated. Few controlled studies have been conducted to address this issue, and none has investigated personality disorder in TS.
Method:
Adults with TS and controls were evaluated using standardised psychiatric rating scales, including self-rated (STPCD) and clinician-rated (SCID-II) assessments of personality disorder, to investigate associations between personality disorder, other psychopathology and TS.
Results:
Significantly more TS patients (25/39 (64%)) than controls (2/34 (6%)) had one or more personality disorders. TS subjects were also more likely to have more personality disorders. TS patients had significantly more depression, anxiety and obsessionality than controls. The SCID-II and STCPD were moderately well correlated.
Conclusions:
TS patients have a high prevalence of personality disorder and psychopathology when compared with controls. These results are the first to suggest a high level of personality disorder in a TS clinic population.