Coprolalia is involuntary swearing or the involuntary utterance of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks. Coprolalia comes from the Greek κόπρος meaning "feces" and λαλία meaning "babbling, meaningless talk", from lalein, "to talk".^[1] The term is often used as a clinomorphism, with 'compulsive profanity' inaccurately referred to as being Tourette syndrome. To swear can mean either to make an oath, or to utter profanity. ... Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) In humans, defecation may occur (depending on the individual and the circumstances) from once every two or three days to several times a day. ... Babbling is a stage in child language acquisition, during which an infant appears to be experimenting with making the sounds of language, but not yet producing any recognizable words. ... Clinomorphism (from the Greek words klinikos meaning bed and morphos meaning form) is the deliberate or unintentional simplification, alteration, or amplification of the term for a medical condition (usually for dramatic effect), often in the form of a caricature to which sufferers of (or care providers for those with) the... For the Nirvana song, see tourettes (song). ...

Related terms are copropraxia, performing obscene or forbidden gestures,^[2] and coprographia, making obscene writings or drawings.^[3] Etymology: Greek copro feces and praxia (action). Copropraxia is involuntarily performing obscene or forbidden gestures. ...

Characteristics

Coprolalia encompasses words and phrases that are culturally taboo or generally unsuitable for acceptable social use, when used out of context. The term is not used to describe contextual swearing. It is usually expressed out of social or emotional context, and may be spoken in a louder tone or different cadence or pitch than normal conversation. It can be a single word, or complex phrases. A person with coprolalia may repeat the word mentally rather than saying it out loud; these subvocalizations can be very distressing.^[4] Young people interacting within an ethnically diverse society. ...

Coprolalia is an occasional but rare characteristic of Tourette syndrome, although it is not required for a diagnosis of Tourette's. In Tourette syndrome, compulsive swearing can be uncontrollable and undesired by the person uttering the phrases. Involuntary outbursts, such as racial or ethnic slurs in the company of those most offended by such remarks, can be particularly embarrassing. The phrases uttered by a person with coprolalia do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the person.^[4] For the Nirvana song, see tourettes (song). ...

Coprolalia is also a rare symptom of other psychiatric disorders,^[5] such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.^[6] Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that studies and treats mental and emotional disorders (see mental illness). ... Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS) is a rare, inherited disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). ...

Prevalence

According to the Tourette Syndrome Association, fewer than 15% of Tourette syndrome patients exhibit coprolalia, but it tends to attract more attention than any other symptom.^[7] There is a paucity of epidemiological studies of Tourette syndrome; ascertainment bias affects clinical studies. Studies on people with Tourette's often "came from tertiary referral samples, the sickest of the sick".^[8] Further, the criteria for a diagnosis of Tourette's were changed in 2000, when the impairment criteria was removed from the DSM-IV-TR for all tic disorders,^[9] resulting in increased diagnoses of milder cases. Further, many clinical studies suffer from small sample size. These factors combine to render older estimates of coprolalia—biased towards clinical populations of the more severe cases—outdated. An international, multi-site database of 3,500 individuals with Tourette syndrome drawn from clinical samples found 14% of patients with Tourette's accompanied by comorbid conditions had coprolalia, while only 6% of those with uncomplicated ("pure") Tourette's had coprolalia. The same study found that the chance of having coprolalia increased linearly with the number of comorbid conditions: patients with four or five other conditions—in addition to tics—were four to six times more likely to have coprolalia than persons with only Tourette's.^[10] One study of a general pediatric practice found an 8% rate of coprolalia in children with Tourette syndrome, while another study found 60% in a tertiary referral center (where typically more severe cases are referred).^[11] A more recent Brazilian study of 44 patients with Tourette syndrome found a 14% rate of coprolalia;^[12] a Costa Rican study of 85 subjects found 20% had coprolalia;^[13] a Chilean study of 70 patients found an 8.5% rate of coprolalia;^[14] older studies in Japan reported a 4% incidence of coprolalia;^[15] and a still older clinical study in Brasil found 28% of 32 patients had coprolalia.^[16] Considering the methodological issues affecting all of these reports, the consensus of the Tourette Syndrome Association is that the actual number is below 15 percent. The Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA), based in Bayside, New York, United States, is a non-profit voluntary organization, founded in 1972 by a group of parents of children with Tourette syndrome. ... An Epidemiological study is a statistical study on human populations, which attempt to link human health effects to a specified cause. ... Ascertainment bias describes the incorrect results of a study due to the way in which the data were collected. ... In medicine, a clinical trial (synonyms: clinical studies, research protocols, medical research) is the application of the scientific method to human health. ... The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States and other countries. ... In medicine and in psychiatry, comorbidity is either The presence of one or more disorders (or diseases) in addition to a primary disease or disorder; or The effect of such additional disorders or diseases. ... The Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA), based in Bayside, New York, United States, is a non-profit voluntary organization, founded in 1972 by a group of parents of children with Tourette syndrome. ...

Treatment

Some patients have been treated by injecting botulinum toxin near the vocal cords. This does not prevent the vocalizations, but the partial paralysis that results helps to control the volume of any outbursts.^[17][18][19] Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. ... Laryngoscopic view of the vocal folds. ... Paralysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. ...

Perception

The entertainment industry often depicts those with Tourette syndrome as being social misfits whose only tic is coprolalia, which has furthered stigmatization and the public's misunderstanding of those with Tourette's. The coprolalic symptoms of Tourette's are also fodder for radio and television talk shows.^[20] Tourette syndrome (also Tourettes syndrome, Tourettes or TS) is an inherited neurological disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by the presence of motor and phonic tics. ...

See also

For the Nirvana song, see tourettes (song). ... Causes and origins of Tourette syndrome have not been fully elucidated. ... Tourette syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by the presence of multiple physical (motor) tics and at least one vocal (phonic) tic. ... Tourette syndrome (also Tourettes syndrome, Tourettes or TS) is an inherited neurological disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by the presence of motor and phonic tics. ... Tourette syndrome (also Tourettes syndrome or TS) is an inherited neurological disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by the presence of motor and phonic tics. ... Etymology: Greek copro feces and praxia (action). Copropraxia is involuntarily performing obscene or forbidden gestures. ... Echolalia is the repetition or echoing of verbal utterances made by another person. ... Etymology: Greek echo (repetition) and praxia (action). Echopraxia is the involuntary repetition or imitation of the observed movements of another. ... Palilalia is the repetition or echoing of ones own spoken words. ... Sensory phenomena are general feelings, urges or bodily sensations that precede or accompany repetitive behaviors[1] associated with Tourette syndrome and tic disorders. ... A tic is a repetitive, stereotyped, nonrhythmic, involuntary movement (motor tic) or sound (phonic tic). ... A tic is a repeated, impulsive action, almost reflexive in nature, which the actor feels powerless to control or avoid. ... Tourettism refers to tics associated with conditions other than Tourette syndrome. ... Categories: People stubs | French physicians | 1825 births | 1893 deaths | History of medicine ... Georges Gilles de la Tourette (1857-1904) was a French neurologist who first described the symptoms of Tourette syndrome. ... Jean Marc Gaspard Itard (April 24, 1774 - 1838) was a French physician born in Provence. ... Arthur K. Shapiro (1923-1995), was a psychiatrist and expert on Tourette syndrome. ... The Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA), based in Bayside, New York, United States, is a non-profit voluntary organization, founded in 1972 by a group of parents of children with Tourette syndrome. ... The Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada (or TSFC) is a Canadian voluntary organization based in Toronto, Ontario. ... I Have Tourettes But Tourettes Doesnt Have Me is an Emmy Award-winning documentary film featuring children between the ages of six and thirteen with Tourette syndrome. ... DVD cover Johns Not Mad was a QED documentary made by the BBC in 1989. ... Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (born Chris Wayne Jackson on March 9, 1969 in Gulfport, Mississippi) is an American former professional basketball player. ... Howard Ahmanson, Jr. ... Brad Cohen is a motivational speaker and an award-winning teacher and author. ... James Michael Eisenreich (born April 18, 1959 St. ... For other persons named Tim Howard, see Tim Howard (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Samuel Johnson, see Samuel Johnson (disambiguation). ... Andr Malraux, French author, adventurer and statesman Andr Malraux (November 3, 1901 - November 23, 1976) was a French author, adventurer and statesman. ... Tobias Picker (b. ... Michael Wolff is an American jazz pianist, composer and actor. ...

Notes