Executive functions in uncomplicated Tourette syndrome.

Previous studies reporting executive deficits in Tourette syndrome (TS) often failed to control for co-morbid conditions. We investigated executive functions in forty patients with TS without co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses (uncomplicated TS). Patients exhibited executive deficits which were unrelated to tic severity, suggesting executive dysfunction may be a core component of TS.

Behavioral adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs in epilepsy.

Patient tolerability is a significant limiting factor in the treatment of epilepsy and adverse effect profiles often determine drug retention rates. A full appreciation of the behavioral effects of a wide range of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is therefore essential to make informed treatment decisions. In this timely review, we highlight key alterations in mood, emotional experience, and other behavioral/psychiatric features, which can exert a crucial impact on patients' quality of life and well-being.

What patients with gilles de la tourette syndrome should be treated with deep brain stimulation and what is the best target?

Background: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and associated behavioral symptoms. Over the past decade, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been increasingly advocated as a reversible and controllable procedure for selected cases of GTS.

Objective: We set out to answer 2 clinically relevant questions: what patients with GTS should be treated with DBS and what is the best target?

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review of the published studies of DBS in GTS and critically evaluated the current evidence for both patient and target selection.

Altered subjective fear responses in Huntington's disease.

Patients with Huntington's disease (HD) have been shown to exhibit impairment in the recognition of facial expressions such as disgust, as well as deficits in disgust responses to olfactory and gustatory stimuli. The present study investigated whether HD is associated with changes in emotional responses to a variety of visual and verbal stimuli selected to elicit core disgust, moral disgust, fear and happiness. Thirteen patients with HD and twelve controls provided emotional ratings after both reading emotion eliciting scenarios and viewing pictures from the International Affective Picture System database.

Behavioral and cognitive effects of anti-epileptic drugs.

Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have a variety of mechanisms of action which are reflected through different anticonvulsant activities and behavioral effects. Two categories of AEDs are considered based on psychotropic profile. The first group is characterized by potentiation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory neurotransmission, and comprises of agents such as vigabatrin, tiagabine, and gabapentin.

Cognitive functioning in Tourette syndrome.

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is characterized by tics, which are thought to reflect striatal dysfunction. Changes in functioning of the striatum in TS could lead to dysfunction in frontostriatal pathways involving cortical regions such as the dorsolateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex. This in turn could result in deficits in specific cognitive processes and impairment on particular cognitive tasks.