FND involves neurological symptoms such as tremors, seizures, or paralysis that arise without a structural neurological cause.
✦ AI summary
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) — which includes functional/dissociative seizures (FDS) and functional movement disorders (FMD) — is described across these sources as a complex, treatable condition with both biological and psychosocial dimensions. Brain imaging research has found altered connectivity patterns in areas involved in emotion and movement processing in people with FDS, supporting the idea that predictive processing/brain network differences may play a role [11], and studies of "mentalizing" (understanding one's own and others' mental states) suggest some people with FND or somatic symptom disorder show differences in this area compared to others, though more research is needed [2]. On the treatment side, both group and individual therapy programs have been linked to improvements in quality of life, depression, and PTSD symptoms for people with FDS [1], and patients themselves report that strategies like grounding/sensory techniques, movement/exercise, breathing exercises, and cognitive reframing/CBT feel most helpful, with exercise and CBT specifically associated with seizure improvement [3]. For functional movement disorders specifically, current understanding frames diagnosis around positive clinical signs rather than just ruling out other conditions, and treatment is described as needing a multidisciplinary
This is an AI-generated summary of the sources below — not medical advice. Always talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
Patient reported outcome measures following group and individual therapy in a multidisciplinary functional/dissociative seizure program.
Functional/dissociative seizures (FDS) are frequently treated with one-to-one therapeutic interventions. However, data describing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following group-based therapy remain limited. This study evaluated changes in PROMs among a large cohort of individuals receivin…
What helps? Patient-reported strategies for managing functional/dissociative seizures: a cross-sectional survey.
The value of incorporating lived experience into research is increasingly recognised, however, traditional functional/dissociative seizure (FDS) treatment studies assess treatment efficacy prior to ascertaining real-world effectiveness. This study aimed to gather firsthand accounts from individuals…
Mentalising impairments in somatic symptom and functional neurological disorders: A systematic review.
Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) are among the most prevalent conditions within the DSM-5 category of somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD) and are associated with substantial psychological distress and functional impairment. Although the aetiology of…
Inappropriate prescribing of antiseizure medications in people with functional seizures: A call to action.
People with functional seizures (FS) experience an average diagnostic delay of six to nine years. During that time, they are often exposed to antiseizure medications (ASMs) and may be erroneously classified as having drug-resistant epilepsy. This has broad and negative impacts on individuals, health…
Reluctance to Video Recording in Functional Movement Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Video recording is an important tool for education in movement disorders, particularly in functional movement disorders (FMD). In this study, we examined factors associated with patients' consent to video recording during the neurological examination in individuals with functional and other movement…
Functional movement disorders: diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment.
Functional movement disorders (FMD) are common and potentially reversible causes of movement disorders, yet they remain under-recognized and frequently misdiagnosed. Diagnosis has shifted from an exclusion-based model to a positive rule-in approach grounded in positive clinical signs such as inconsi…
Characterization of asthma comorbidity in patients with functional/dissociative seizures.
Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between asthma and functional/dissociative seizures (FDS). We compared demographic characteristics and pulmonary function test (PFT) findings in patients with FDS and comorbid asthma versus patients with asthma alone. Patients with FDS and comorb…
Diagnostic Agreement and 1-Year Outcomes in Functional Neurological Disorder Following Neuroscience-Informed Assessment, Education, and Counseling: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
We sought to explore outcomes at 1 year in functional neurological disorder (FND) following a neuroscience-informed education and counseling assessment. Patients with FND were assessed at a quaternary neuropsychiatry clinic in Toronto, Canada, and provided education and counseling to build insight i…