On the use of clonidine and thioproperazine in a woman with Gilles de la Tourette's disease.

A 25-year-old woman with Gilles de la Tourette's disease was successfully treated with clonidine (an inhibitor of noradrenaline release). However, the drug was stopped because of side effects. Thioproperazine, a phenothiazine derivative which blocks subcortical dopaminergic receptors, suppressed Gilles de la Tourette's symptoms totally. The patient has tolerated the drug well for over a year since its introduction. The pharmacomanometric investigation performed in this patient showed hyperactivity of her noradrenergic system.