Tics following methylphenidate administration. A report of 20 cases
M. B. Denckla, J. R. Bemporad and M. C. MacKay
Among children receiving methylphenidate hydrochloride, tics developed in
14, and in six children with pre-existing tics, the tics became worse. The
clinical diagnosis in 19 cases was minimal brain dysfunction (MBD), and in
one case, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Duration and dose of medication
showed no particular pattern. In only one case did tics persist unchanged
after methylphenidate treatment was discontinued. Tics related to
methylphenidate administration appear to be rare (20 of 1,520 cases, or
1.3%) and may point to a specific susceptibility possibly related to
personality profile (obsessive, perseverative, withdrawn).
