Gilles de la Tourette症候群の2例

GILLES DE LA TOURETTE'S DISEASE, A REPORT OF TWO CASES

　I．はじめに

　Gilles de la Tourete症候群とは，1885年に報告された，特異な症候群である。その特徴は，①児童期に発生し，②顔面のチック，⑧全身筋群のチック，④猥言（coprolalia）汚ない言葉を強迫的に口に出す。⑤反響言語（echolalia），⑥反響行動（echopraxia），⑦反響動作（echokinesis）などと，症状が悪化してくる疾患である。これらの症状については，神経科，小児科などの雑誌に記載されることが多く，音声，言語，耳鼻咽喉科などの雑誌に報告されたことはなかつた。

　著者らは本症候群と思われる2症例を経験したので，その結果を報告し，諸家のご批判を仰ぎたい。

　Two cases of Gilles de la Tourette's disease are reported. The illness began during childhood, before the age of ten, with tics affecting the upper part of the face, shoulder or arm, that were explosive in nature, initially transient which worsened under stress, fatigue or excitement. At somestage there were inarticulate cries that resembled throat rasping or barking accompanied the convulsive movements. The cries then would become articulate consisting of a single word or phrase, often echolalic and coprolalia.

　These two patients also suffered chronic tonsillitis. The underlying symptoms worsened with acute exacerbation of the disease. The patients underwent tonsillectomies for the purpose of improvement of their symptoms.

　The authors speculated that this syndrome might have some relation to focal infection of the tonsils as those of the rheumatic fever or chorea minor.