Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by uncontrolled tics, including small movements, behaviors or sounds. It is thought that low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine contribute to Tourette's syndrome. According to Washington University in St. Louis, research suggests that therapy to increase dopamine levels in the brain can improve symptoms of Tourette's, including reducing tic severity or frequency.
Tourette's Syndrome
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, symptoms of Tourette's syndrome typically become recognizable between the ages of 7 and 10. Tourette's is considered, as of 2011, primarily an inherited disorder, and occurs in all ethnicities. Males are more than four times as likely to be diagnosed as females.
Tourette's syndrome is characterized by repeated, stereotyped and uncontrollable behaviors called tics. Excitement or anxiety often worsen tics. It is thought that abnormalities in the areas of the brain responsible for decision making and behavioral control are responsible for Tourette's.
Tourette's and Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that cells in the brain use to communicate. Dopamine plays an important role in the parts of the brain, mainly the basal ganglia and frontal lobe, that are involved in executive function, such as the choice to initiate a movement, action or other decision. Your body synthesizes dopamine from amino acids, a nutrient also used as the building blocks of protein.
According to the University of Washington in St. Louis, treatment to increase dopamine levels, specifically the chemical L-dopa, made the brain function of people with Tourette's more similar to control brains.
Sources of Dopamine
Your body normally synthesizes dopamine from the amino acid L-tyrosine, by first converting it into the chemical L-dopa or levodopa. L-tyrosine is considered nonessential in the diet as it can be synthesized from the essential amino acid L-phenylalanine.
Administration of L-dopa, L-tyrosine or L-phenylalanine may increase dopamine levels in the brain, although L-dopa is the most effective as it is more easily converted to dopamine. Your doctor may also prescribe other medication to increase dopamine levels or otherwise control Tourette's tics.
Safety
Tourette's syndrome should only be treated under the supervision of a doctor. In many cases, tics are not severe enough to require medication. Discuss alternative strategies, such as L-dopa, as ways to manage Tourette's syndrome. L-dopa, L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine may increase the risk of side effects from antidepressant and other drugs given for neuropsychiatric disorders, especially MAOIs. Though these strategies show promise in controlling Tourette's symptoms, they have not been as extensively studied as neuroleptic, the medicine normally used to control tics. These strategies are not an alternative to medication prescribed by your doctor.
