Quick Flicks: Association of Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia and Tics

BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is a rare disorder characterised by brief attacks of chorea, dystonia, or mixed forms precipitated by sudden movement. METHODS: Observational study with a cohort of 14 PKD patients and genetic testing for PRRT2 mutations. RESULTS: In a series of 14 PKD patients seen in our clinic at the National Hospital of Neurology, Queen Square, from 2012–2017, we noted tics in 11 patients (79%), which stand in stark contrast to the estimated lifetime prevalence of tics estimated to reach 1%. CONCLUSIONS: The two reasons to point out this possible association are the clinical implications and the potential opportunity of a better understanding of shared pathophysiological mechanisms of neuronal hyperexcitability.