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"Organizacija e Plastichnost Kory Bolshikh Polusharij Golovnogo Mozga" (Materials of the Brain Institute conference), 2001, p. 61.
Plasticity of brain mechanisms of regulation of movements during the behavioral therapy of ticks.
Nabieva T.N., Mukhin E.I.
Brain Institute of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 105064, per. Obukha 5, Moscow, Russia.
Motor and vocal ticks are the manifestation of pathological activity in central nervous system. At the present time, using sedatives and tranquilizers is the traditional way of therapy of ticks. It is necessary to note that the course of medical treatment is not always effective. In some cases, the intensity of muscular twitching only decreases during a course of treatment; sometimes disappeared ticks arise again later, after the medicament abolishment. Besides, taking sedatives and tranquilizers causes serious consequences for child's nervous system and psychology. In order to avoid these complications, it is necessary to search for the ways of behavioral therapy of ticks. The investigation was provided on 20 children from 3 to 6 years old, suffering from ticks and compulsive movements. Our observation revealed: 1) intensity of involuntary pathological movements is weaker in comparison with full-blooded voluntary muscle contraction; 2) ticks and muscular twitching did not manifest themselves while muscles were tense. We began to carry out special measures - special physical exercises for strengthening of muscle groups participating in pathological activity. Patients had to perform exercises within 5 minutes after each pathological movement. As a result, the frequency of manifestation of ticks sharply decreased in 1-2 days, and subsequently, gradually decreased during 2-3 weeks until the complete disappearance of pathological movements. Some children relieved from ticks in 2-3 days, others demonstrated single ticks even on the fourth week from the beginning of the experiment, however, disappeared completely after the additional exercises. Since the exercises were performed right after the occurrence of ticks and muscular twitching, they acted as a negative reinforcement of involuntary pathological movements. Perhaps, as a negative reinforcement, the physical exercises promote changes in the central mechanisms of motor activity regulation.
Key words: ticks, compulsive movements, behavioral therapy, negative reinforcement.
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