Treatment of Tourette syndrome
There is no cure for Tourette's and no medication which works universally for all individuals without significant adverse effects; knowledge and understanding are the best treatments available for tics. Management of the symptoms of Tourette's may include pharmacological, behavioral and psychological therapies. While pharmacological treatment is reserved for more severe symptoms, other types of treatments may help avoid or improve symptoms of depression or social isolation, and improve supportive family functioning. Educating the patient, family, and surrounding community (school, church, friends, etc.) is a key part of treatment.
Treatment of Tourette syndrome
Administration of nicotine via transdermal patches was found beneficial, in preliminary case studies, but these effects were not reproduced in well-controlled trials several years later. Studies of nicotine derivatives (mecamylamine, inversine) also showed that they were not effective as a single therapy for the symptoms of Tourette's. Two small, controlled studies have found that capsules of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, helped reduce tics. More research is needed to confirm this low-quality evidence for the effects of THC.