COPROLALIA: CHARACTERISTICS, CAUSES AND TREATMENTS - ECONOMÍA - 2025

The coprolalia is a neurological disorder characterized by the tendency to verbalize obscenities. People with this disorder have speech impulses that lead them to make uncontrollable and involuntary use of derogatory words. It is often associated with Tourette syndrome, although it is not the only disease that can present it.

Coprolalia affects any type of word that is offensive or considered socially unacceptable. In this way, this alteration is not limited to the verbalization of specific words or insults.

The term coprolalia comes from the union of two Greek words that mean "feces" and "babble." The very etymology of the word already allows an approximate interpretation of the characteristics of the alteration.

Coprolalia, also known as cacolalia is the tendency to say obscene words and phrases that are expressed in an impulsive and automatic way. This fact shows that the direct effects of the alteration (saying bad words) are not carried out voluntarily.

The person who suffers from this alteration can emit bad sounding and derogatory terms in a totally involuntary way and without any type of intention. Normally, the words uttered are expressed by means of a high and intense tone of voice, differing from the normal speech that the person can develop.

For practical purposes it is as if the person experiences sudden outbursts of anger that are automatically translated into obscene words.

Symptoms.

The main symptoms of coprolalia are based on the emission of bad-sounding words. This alteration does not imply more manifestations than the verbalizations that the person makes.

Sudden appearance

The bad-sounding words typical of coprolalia usually appear suddenly. The individual with this alteration may be making "normal" speech and suddenly experiencing an explosion of obscene and offensive words.

The most prominent are usually related to sexual components. However, in coprolalia any type of foul words and phrases can be emitted.

Once the word is delivered, the tone of the speech tends to change significantly. This tends to increase and the person may express a generalized emotionality of hostility or anger.

Mental repetition

Likewise, apart from direct verbalizations, it is also common for the person with this alteration to mentally repeat inappropriate words.

This second manifestation is less plausible in the eyes of others but appears frequently in coprolalia. Furthermore, mentally repeating obscene words often has a direct effect on a person's ability to concentrate.

When individuals with coprolalia experience the sudden explosion of profanity (whether verbalized or mentally repeated), the subject's attention becomes totally focused on the words, so their concentration is null.

Causes

The factors that cause coprolalia are currently unknown. In fact, it is not known what are the physical and chemical abnormalities that occur in the brain structure to give rise to this alteration.

The most scientifically accepted position is that it assumes a "multi-effect" of brain function. That is, it is hypothesized that the malfunction of several neurotransmitters in the brain would lead to coprolalia.

It seems that the alteration could originate in the deeper and primary layers of the brain. That is, the structures that are responsible for the control of impulses and involuntary movements and reflexes.

Likewise, current research focuses on studying abnormalities in the functioning of inhibitory mechanisms that cause the typical tics of Tourette syndrome.

Some studies suggest that alterations in the chemical substances that are responsible for inhibiting impulses would cause the inability to repress thoughts related to the typical obscenities of coprolalia.

On the other hand, some researchers focus on examining the genetic factors of the alteration. It is hypothesized that these could be relevant in the development of coprolalia, but as with the rest of the elements, there are no conclusive data.

Consequences

Coprolalia is an important alteration in the person. In fact, this condition tends to affect the individuals who suffer from it both psychologically and above all socially.

Expressing foul words suddenly and aggressively often has a significant impact on a person's social life. It is common for individuals with this condition to have a reduced social circle and progressively lose friendships.

Likewise, coprolalia usually has a devastating effect on the work environment of those affected. Maintaining a stable job and lifestyle with this disorder is often highly complicated.

Finally, it must be taken into account that the psychological alteration that coprolalia can cause tends to be serious.

People with this alteration do not want to express bad words voluntarily, even less in social and relational contexts where such expression can harm or hurt others.

For this reason, it is common for people with coprolalia to experience shame and self-reproach after issuing obscene words.

In this sense, coprolalia usually generates disturbances of anxiety and / or social phobia. The person is aware that she acts badly in social situations constantly, a fact that affects her self-confidence to relate to others.

Course

Coprolalia is considered a chronic disorder. That is, the person with this condition will always manifest it. This fact is explained by the inhibitory impulse deficits that subjects with coprolalia present.

All people may have greater or lesser capacities to inhibit their impulses. However, subjects with coprolalia are totally unable to inhibit the appearance of profanity.

Individuals with coprolalia have to satisfy in a non-negotiable way that urge to express obscene words and phrases. Likewise, impulses can accumulate and intensify until the appearance of bad words is inevitable.

Thus, the urge to say disrespectful and obscene words always reappears in a person with coprolalia. However, the particular choice of language expressed may have something to do with the emotional content of the person. Thus, there is a notable association between coprolalia and stress.

People with this disorder who are subjected to high levels of stress or have a negative emotional state are more likely to express obscene words.

For this reason, it is relevant to intervene in the psychic and emotional spheres of the person with coprolalia. By stabilizing these areas of the individual, the appearance of impulses and the expression of profanity may be less prominent.

Related diseases

Coprolalia is one of the most typical disorders of Tourette syndrome. In fact, most cases of this condition occur in patients with this disease.

However, coprolalia is not the main symptom of Tourette syndrome. Likewise, this pathology is not the only one that can cause the verbalization of foul words.

Another disease that can present this alteration (although less frequently) is schizophrenia. People affected by this neurodevelopmental pathology can present multiple behavioral disorders, including coprolalia.

Coprolalia in Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a genetic neuropsychiatric disorder. It begins in childhood and is characterized by the presentation of multiple physical and vocal tics. These tics fluctuate over time. That is, they increase and decrease during the course of the disease. Likewise, they are preceded by an uncontrollable premonitory impulse.

One of the most well-known tics of the disease is expressing obscene words, that is, coprolalia. However, only 10% of the subjects with Tourette syndrome present this alteration.

Both coprolalia and the rest of the characteristic tics of this disease usually appear before 18 years of age. It can affect people of any ethnic group and sex, although men have a prevalence of the disease between 3 and four times higher than women.

Coprolalia in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disease that affects approximately 1% of the general population. It is a chronic and serious disease, affecting multiple areas of the person.

The most typical manifestations of the disease are the well-known positive symptoms; that is to say, delusions and hallucinations. However, schizophrenia does not only present psychotic manifestations. The symptomatology of this disease includes many more alterations.

Among the other manifestations, negative symptoms such as affective flattening, apathy or allegiance, disorganized symptoms, cognitive deterioration and affective disorders stand out.

In this way, among the large symptomatological group of the disease, schizophrenia can cause coprolalia, as well as similar alterations such as echolalia or echopraxia. However, coprolalia is not one of the most prominent symptoms of schizophrenia, and its prevalence in this population is relatively low.

Treatment

As the factors that cause the appearance of coprolalia and the brain mechanisms involved in this alteration are not known, nowadays there is no treatment that allows to cure it.

However, at present, interventions are applied that allow reducing the prevalence and especially the severity of symptoms.

Botulinum toxin

One of the most used treatments today is the application of botulinum toxin. This substance, commonly known as "botox" is a type of toxic bacteria that can be injected into different regions of the body.

In the intervention of coprolalia, the administration of this toxin in the vocal cords of the subject is used. By applying "botox" in these regions, the muscles in the area are temporarily paralyzed, a fact that helps calm verbal outbursts.

However, the use of this intervention has moderate efficacy, which is why it is not used in all subjects. The application of "botox" only slightly diminishes verbal impulses, but generally does not reduce their prevalence.

Psychological therapy and relaxation

On the other hand, subjects with coprolalia may present a greater alteration in times of stress and emotional instability. In these individuals, the condition is usually treated through psychological therapies that reduce the anxiety of the person.

Relaxation techniques, stress reduction exercises or cognitive restructuring to improve adaptation to coprolalia are usually the most used interventions.

Other interventions

Recent studies have shown that some people with Tourette syndrome and coprolalia find strategies and mechanisms to hide their inappropriate verbalizations.

These mechanisms are applied mainly in public, social or work situations, with the main objective of reducing the effect and negative consequences at the social level.

One of the main strategies is to drag the first letters of the word or phrase with the aim of not pronouncing the entire word and its meaning. Speaking "Ccccooo" every time there is an impulse to utter a curse beginning with "co" would be an example.

On the other hand, other strategies used to avoid expressing the meaning of rude words consist of expressing the words between teeth or covering the mouth to muffle their perceptibility.

Employing these techniques serves a double function in the person with coprolalia. On the one hand, it allows her to express the word driven by her brain. On the other hand, it allows others not to perceive and interpret the verbalized meaning.

References

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4. Leckman JF, Riddle MA, Hardin M, et al. The Yale global tic severity scale: initial testing of a clinician-rated scale of tic severity. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1989; 28: 566-573.
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