Altered fronto-striato-thalamic connectivity in children with Tourette syndrome assessed with diffusion tensor MRI and probabilistic fiber tracking.

The aim of the study was to determine whether abnormal connectivity of the fronto-striato-thalamic circuit underlies the morphological changes in subcortical structures of patients with Tourette syndrome and to correlate these changes with neurobehavioral measures. A total of 18 children with Tourette syndrome and 12 age-matched healthy controls underwent diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. Tractography of the fronto-striato-thalamic circuit was achieved using probability distribution function of individual voxels. The Tourette syndrome group had significantly lower probability of connection between caudate nucleus and anterior-dorsolateral-frontal cortex on the left (P = .038). Obsessive-compulsive behavior was negatively associated with connectivity score of the left caudate and anterior dorsolateral frontal cortex (P = .01) and was positively associated with connectivity score for the subcallosal gyrus (P = .009) and for the lentiform nucleus (P = .008). The abnormal connectivity among components of the fronto-striato-thalamic circuit bilaterally (ie, seeds on the caudate and thalamus) in patients with Tourette syndrome provides direct evidence for the involvement of these circuits in the pathophysiology.

Tratamiento de rituales compulsivos en un caso de esquizofrenia residual: eficacia de la hipnosis / Treatment of compulsive rituals in a case of residual schizophrenia: efficacy of hypnosis

Los autores describen el tratamiento de una conducta compulsiva en un caso de esquizofrenia residual. Tras realizar una descripción general del cuadro clínico y un análisis de las conductas evaluadas, se comentan las distintas etapas de intervención: línea base, control de estímulos, entrenamiento en y tratamiento mediante hipnosis, y seguimiento. Se utilizó un método de inducción mediante la fijación ocular, con sugestiones de relajación y de tranquilidad para la profundización hipnótica, y se dieron instrucciones en forma de sugestiones poshipnóticas para extinguir la conducta. Finalmente, se valoran las implicaciones de la hipnosis en el tratamiento de síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos en cuadros de esquizofrenia a propósito de la extinción de aquella conducta

The authors describe the treatment of compulsive behaviour in a case of residual schizophrenia. Following the description of the clinical profile and an analysis of the assessed behaviours, the stages of intervention are discussed, i.e., baseline, stimulus control, training and treatment via hypnosis, and follow up. A method of induction by ocular fixation was used, with suggestions of relaxation and tranquillity to deepen the hypnosis, and instructions were given in the form of post-hypnotic suggestions to extinguish the behaviour. Finally, implications of hypnosis in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia are discussed