Possible Role of Repetitive Practice of Activities Requiring Reflexive Responses in the Treatment of Tourette’s Disorder

We report 2 boys, 11 and 7 years old, whose Tourette’s disorder improved significantlyafter a period of repeated, sustained practice of activities requiring reflexive responses Oneboy engaged in physical exercise including hand-eye co-ordination (table tennis for 6 hoursevery weekday) and the other learned foreign languages (5 languages within 3 years). Ticsmay be thought of as a kind of overflow of energy, and excessive energy consumption withphysical or mental exercise may improve the motor disorder and associated comorbidities.However, the exercise may require a quick, reflexive response to visual or verbal stimuli.