When actor John Davidson, who has Tourette’s syndrome, reportedly uttered a racial slur during the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) ceremony, the public reaction was swift and emotionally charged. For many people, the involuntary outburst reflected true feelings or a subconscious racial bias. However, that is not the case with certain forms of Tourette’s.

Coprolalia, the involuntary expression of socially inappropriate or taboo words, is among the most …

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The terms parkinsonism, Parkinson disorder, and Parkinson syndrome are all synonymous and can be used interchangeably depending on which you prefer. All of these terms refer to the symptoms. To be diagnosed with a Parkinson disorder, you must exhibit two out of three of the following motor symptoms:

• unilateral resting tremor
• slowness of movement (bradykinesia)
• muscle rigidity or stiffness (cogwheel rigidity)

This is with or without postural instability, which usually refers …

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