DEFINITION

Tics are sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic movements or vocalizations.

The DSM-5 describes several individual tic disorders as separate but related entities[1]:

Tourette disorder

• Common, neurobehavioral tic disorder, marked by the presence of both multiple motor AND at least one vocal tics, lasting for a year or more, with onset before age 18

Persistent (chronic) motor or vocal tic disorder

• Common, neurobehavioral tic disorder, marked by the presence of either motor OR vocal tics, lasting for a year or more, with onset before age 18

Provisional tic disorder

• Marked by the presence of single OR multiple motor AND/OR vocal tics, lasting less than a year, with onset before age 18

Other specified tic disorder

• Presentation of tics is clinically significant and may cause impairment in daily functioning but does not meet full criteria for a tic disorder for any specific reason (e.g., onset after 18 years)

Unspecified tic disorder

• Insufficient information to make a more specific diagnosis