The use of methylphenidate and imipramine in Gilles de la Tourette's disease in children

The authors treated two children with Gilles de la Tourette's disease and one child with a probable combination of Gilles de la Tourette's disease and minimal brain dysfunction with methylphenidate, which resulted in exacerbation of symptoms. One child was briefly treated with imipramine, with similar results. The authors suggest that these pharmacologic agents should be used cautiously in treating patients with possible movement disorders (tics) and conclude that their findings lend support to the catecholamine hypothesis of the etiology of Gilles de la Tourette's disease.