Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome—A Disorder of Action-Perception Integration

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Alexander Kleimaker - , University of Lübeck, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein - Campus Lübeck (Author)
  • Maximilian Kleimaker - , University of Lübeck, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein - Campus Lübeck (Author)
  • Tobias Bäumer - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Christian Beste - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Author)
  • Alexander Münchau - , University of Lübeck (Author)

Abstract

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is a multifaceted and complex neuropsychiatric disorder. Given that tics as motor phenomena are the defining and cardinal feature of Tourette syndrome, it has long been conceptualized as a motor/movement disorder. However, considering premonitory urges preceding tics, hypersensitivity to external stimuli and abnormalities in sensorimotor integration perceptual processes also seem to be relevant in the pathophysiology of Tourette syndrome. In addition, tic expression depends on attention and tics can, at least partly and transiently, be controlled, so that cognitive processes need to be considered as well. Against this background, explanatory concepts should encompass not only the motor phenomenon tic but also perceptual and cognitive processes. Representing a comprehensive theory of the processing of perceptions and actions paying particular attention to their interdependency and the role of cognitive control, the Theory of Event Coding seems to be a suitable conceptual framework for the understanding of Tourette syndrome. In fact, recent data suggests that addressing the relation between actions (i.e., tics) and perceptions (i.e., sensory phenomena like premonitory urges) in the context of event coding allows to gaining relevant insights into perception-action coding in Tourette syndrome indicating that perception action binding is abnormally strong in this disorder.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number597898
JournalFrontiers in neurology
Volume11
Publication statusPublished - 26 Nov 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/160952403

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • action perception binding, ERP, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, premonitory urge, RIDE, Theory of Event Coding