Short- and long-term treatment of Tourette's syndrome with clonidine

A clinical perspective

Leckman, James F. MD
Detlor, Jill RN
Harcherik, Diane F. MS
Ort, Sharon RN, MPH
Shaywitz, Bennett A. MD
Cohen, Donald J. MD

Child Study Center, the Children's Clinical Research Center, and the Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Leckman, Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 3333, New Haven, CT 06510.

Supported in part by NIMH Grant MH30929, NIH Grant RR00125. NICHD Grant HD03008, the Solomon R. & Rebecca D. Baker Foundation, Inc., Mr. Leonard Berger, the William T. Grant Foundation (Dr. Leckman), the Gateposts Foundation (Dr. Cohen), and the John Merck Fund (Dr. Leckman).

Accepted for publication June 22, 1984.

Neurology 35(3):p 343-351, March 1985.

Article abstract

Thirteen patients with Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome were treated with clonidine (0.125 to 0.3 mg/d) for at least 60 weeks. In a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 6 of the 13 patients were judged to be unequivocal responders to clonidine, and 6 other patients had an equivocal response. There was significant improvement in motor and phonicties, as well as in associated behavior problems, and there were no serious side effects. Tolerance to clonidine did not develop. Further placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind studies of clonidine in Tourette's syndrome are needed to establish the drug's efficacy.