Refers to the involuntary swearing or the involuntary utterance of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks.
It is an occasional characteristic of tic disorders, in particular Tourette syndrome.
It is also a rare symptom of other neurological disorders.
It is one type of coprophenomenon: copropraxia, involuntary actions such as performing obscene or forbidden gestures, and coprographia, making obscene writings or drawings.
Coprolalia includes words and phrases unsuitable for acceptable social use.
It is associated with swearing out of social or emotional context, and may be spoken in a louder tone or different cadence or pitch than normal conversation.
Phrases spoken can be a single word, or complex.
Patients with coprolalia may repeat the word mentally, as well.
The compulsive swearing in Tourette syndrome can be uncontrollable and undesired by the person uttering the phrases.
The utterances by a person with coprolalia do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the person.
Deaf patients with Tourette syndrome have been reported swearing in sign language.
Coprolalia may occur in tic disorders, after injuries to the brain such as stroke and encephalitis, choreoathetosis, seizures, Lesch–Nyhan syndrome, and rarely in persons with dementia or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Injecting botulinum toxin does not prevent the vocalizations, but the partial paralysis that results helps to control the volume of any outbursts.