Coprolalia is a neurological condition that causes uncontrollable and involuntary use of profanity or socially unacceptable words. It is often associated with Tourette syndrome and is caused by a malfunction of neurotransmitters. There is no cure, but treatments such as Botox injections and stress-reducing exercises can help reduce the severity of symptoms.
Coprolalia is a neurological condition that affects speech impulses and results in the uncontrollable and involuntary use of profanity, derogatory words, or other words or phrases that tend to be considered offensive or socially unacceptable. In addition to the sudden burst of speech, the speech itself may be louder or delivered in a different tone than normal. This condition tends to be associated as a symptom of Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes tics or uncontrollable movements. Less commonly, this involuntary swearing can be a symptom of other neurological disorders.
While coprolalia is often primarily associated with a person who involuntarily swears, it can involve the use of any word considered inappropriate for a social situation. For example, a person with the condition may unintentionally utter racial slurs or use words that may be considered vulgar. This can cause severe embarrassment or social anxiety for people with the condition. In addition to speaking words out loud, the condition can also cause a person to mentally repeat inappropriate words, making it difficult to concentrate.
Coprolalia is thought to be the result of a type of malfunction of certain neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that the brain transports throughout the body. Neurotransmitters send messages to different areas of the body from the brain that trigger movements or other actions. If something goes wrong with the transport of neurotransmitters, the body can mistakenly cause impulses that the brain didn’t want to trigger. This can result in uncontrollable movement and speech. It’s not definitively known what causes these neurotransmitter malfunctions in a person’s brain, but genetics are thought to be a possible culprit.
Because the precise cause of coprolalia isn’t known for sure, the condition has no proven cure; however, it can be treated to reduce the prevalence and severity of uncontrollable outbursts. One of the most common types of possible treatment options is the use of botulinum toxin, also more commonly referred to as Botox®, a type of toxic bacteria that can be injected near the vocal cords. Botox® temporarily paralyzes muscles near the injection area and may reduce vocal outbursts, but does not generally reduce their prevalence. Some people may find an increased frequency in uncontrollable speech when they are experiencing high levels of stress; therefore, some patients may find that working with a therapist to learn stress-reducing exercises helps reduce the severity of the condition.
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