Course Summary

Expiration Date: 12/16/2028

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics, often peaking in severity during school-age years. While some individuals experience mild symptoms, others face significant impairment, particularly when tics are severe or occur with comorbid conditions such as ADHD or OCD. Current treatments include behavioral interventions, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, and dopamine D₂ receptor antagonists, though tolerability and safety concerns limit long-term use. Growing interest in novel mechanisms, including dopamine D₁ receptor antagonism, has led to the development of investigational agents such as ecopipam. This course reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and current treatment of TS, with a focus on emerging therapies and their potential to expand future treatment options.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Prevalence and Epidemiology of Tourette Syndrome
  • Pathophysiology
  • Diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome
  • Pharmacologic Treatment of Tourette Syndrome
    • Alpha-2 Adrenergic Agonists
    • Antipsychotic Medications
    • Topiramate
    • Botulinum Toxin Injections
    • Cannabinoid-Based Therapies
    • VMAT2 Inhibitors and Emerging Therapies
    • Practical Treatment Pathway
  • JOURNAL CLUB: INVESTIGATIONAL D1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONISM FOR TOURETTE SYNDROME
    • Background
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Bridging to Current Guidelines
    • Clinical Implications and Future Directions
  • Summary

Author

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.