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Because OCD and
Tourette's Syndrome occur together significantly
more often than would be expected by chance, and/or
because it may be hard to tell whether something is
a compulsion or a complex tic, some people have
argued that we should expand our definition of
Tourette's to include compulsions as well as tics.
I have often been criticized because I do not
include compulsions in my definition of Tourette's
Syndrome, and will not, until such time as the
formal diagnostic system changes. In my opinion, to
do otherwise is to invite confusion in research and
communication, and to perhaps mistakenly label a
symptom, which could have important treatment
implications.
For a more detailed
discussion of some of the issues in "lumping" and
"splitting" and why "splittling" (reductionism) is
preferable, site visitors may wish to read the
article:
Scamvougeras A:
Challenging
Phenomenology in Tourette Syndrome and
Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: The Benefits of
Reductionism,
Canadian Psychiatric Association - Bulletin -
February 2002.
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