"conversion disorder"

The objective of the study is to identify healthcare events leading to a diagnosis of dementia from a large real-world dataset. This study uses a data-driven approach to identify temporally ordered pairs and trajectories of healthcare codes in the electronic health record (EHR). This allows for discovery of novel temporal risk factors leading to an outcome of interest that may otherwise be unobvious. We identified several known (Down syndrome RR = 116.1, thiamine deficiency RR = 76...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate emotion dysregulation and temperament-character traits in adolescents with functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD). Forty adolescents with FNSD and 40 healthy adolescents were evaluated by a semiconstructed diagnosis interview, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Regulation of Emotions Questionnaire (REQ), and Children's Somatization Inventory-24 (CSI-24). The external and internal dysfunctional emotion regulation scores of REQ, all subscales of DERS, except the awareness subscale, and CSI-24 scores were significantly higher in FNSD patients compared with healthy controls...

OBJECTIVE: Eating disorders (EDs) are often associated with prior histories of trauma, subsequent PTSD and related psychiatric comorbidities. There is a paucity of information about their relationship to somatic symptom disorders, specifically psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), a type of functional neurological symptom disorder or conversion disorder. METHODS: We report a case of a 39-year-old bisexual female with bulimia nervosa (BN), PTSD, recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD), cannabis use disorder, and PNES who responded to integrated trauma-focused treatment during residential ED treatment using cognitive processing therapy (CPT)...

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is characterized by neurological symptoms that lack congruence with traditional neurological diagnoses. Historically viewed through a Freudian psychoanalytic lens, FND has been conceptualized as a purely psychogenic disorder. However, the contemporary biopsychosocial perspective on FND emphasizes contributions of cognitive and neural circuit dysfunction and the disabling and involuntary nature of the illness. In Saudi Arabia, evidence suggests the prevalence of FND is significant...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in its multiple variants that classically presents with cough, fatigue, fever, headache, myalgias, and diarrhea. As vaccination becomes widely available and infection rates facilitate herd immunity across the globe, more attention has been given to long-term symptoms that may persist after the index infection, which include impairments in concentration, executive dysfunction, sensory disturbances, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and cough, among other symptoms classified under the umbrella term of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC)...

Previous studies suggest that subjective distress in children with functional neurological disorder (FND) is associated with stress-system dysregulation and modulates aberrant changes in neural networks. The current study documents illness-promoting psychological processes in 76 children with FND (60 girls and 16 boys, aged 10.00-17.08 years) admitted to the Mind-Body Program. The children completed a comprehensive family assessment and self-report measures, and they worked with the clinical team to identify psychological processes during their inpatient admission...

BACKGROUND: Differences in affective processing have previously been shown in functional neurological disorder (FND); however, the mechanistic relevance is uncertain. We tested the hypotheses that highly arousing affective stimulation would result in elevated subjective functional neurological symptoms (FNS), and this would be associated with elevated autonomic reactivity. The possible influence of cognitive detachment was also explored. METHOD: Individuals diagnosed with FND (motor symptoms/seizures; n=14) and healthy controls (n=14) viewed Positive, Negative and Neutral images in blocks, while passively observing the stimuli ('Watch') or detaching themselves ('Distance')...

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical profile of a sample of Saudi patients with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). METHOD: A retrospective review of charts of FND patients seen from 2021-2023 at a neuropsychiatry clinic at an academic tertiary care center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Out of 473 patients seen in the clinic, 52 (11%) had FND. Their mean age was 34 (standard deviation = 10.7), and 77% were female. Family disputes (39%) were the most reported risk factor, followed by sexual abuse (15%)...

Conversion disorder is a psychiatric disorder whose clinic and management lie at the crossroads between body and mind. It challenges healthcare professionals in terms of diagnosis, further investigation, referral and care. A number of questions arise, such as how caregivers perceive the relationship between body and mind, the place of the psychiatric hypothesis among the initial diagnostic hypotheses, and the temporality of care.

PURPOSE: People with functional movement disorders (FMD) are commonly seen in neurology clinics. Despite a recent increase in research, no standardised treatment pathway across the UK exists. Currently only a few qualitative studies in FMD with a focus on psychological aspects and diagnosis have been published. This study aimed to understand people with FMD perceptions of their physiotherapy treatment. METHOD: Qualitative web-based interviews were conducted with seven participants and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used to identify themes from the data...

IMPORTANCE: Little is known about the specific timing and sequence of incident psychiatric comorbidities at different stages of dementia diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: To examine the temporal risk patterns of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders, substance use disorders, sleep disorders, somatoform/conversion disorders, and psychotic disorders, among patients with dementia before, at the time of, and after receipt of a diagnosis...

BACKGROUND: Functional hearing loss can be due to an auditory manifestation of functional neurological disorder, previously known as conversion disorder. METHODS: This is a case series of 3 pediatric patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic SSNHL who ultimately were found to have functional neurological disorder. RESULTS: Average age was 12.7 years at presentation (range 10-14 years). All three patients underwent invasive interventions prior to their initial clinic visit...

Stroke mimics typically involve non-vascular disease processes, accounting for approximately half of hospital admissions for suspected stroke. These mimics may manifest as functional (conversion) disorders or indicate other neurological or medical conditions, including hypoglycemia, brain tumors, toxic poisoning, migraines, sepsis, seizures, and electrolyte imbalances, which can imitate stroke symptoms, making the diagnosis complex. In this report, we present a unique case of a man in his sixties who developed acute postoperative hyponatremia, an electrolyte abnormality frequently encountered but rarely presented with focal neurological deficits...

BACKGROUND: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a complex condition with neurological symptoms but no clear structural or biochemical explanation. Myths and misconceptions about FND can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. This study aimed to assess knowledge and common myths about FND among medical students and practitioners. METHODS: Data were collected from 324 participants using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographics, general information about FND and myths about FND...

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people can face unique stressors and structural discrimination that result in higher rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Although more rigorous studies are needed, emerging data suggest a possible higher prevalence of functional neurological disorder and other brain-mind-body conditions in SGM people. Representation and iterative feedback from affected community members is critical to the process of developing affirming environments...

Historically, formal training for speech-language therapists (SLTs) in the area of functional speech and voice disorders (FSVD) has been limited, as has the body of empirical research in this content area. Recent efforts in the field have codified expert opinions on best practices for diagnosing and treating FSVD and have begun to demonstrate positive treatment outcomes. To provide comprehensive interventions for these complex conditions at the intersection of neurology, psychiatry, and other medical specialties, the SLT must not only build knowledge of diagnostic strategies and components of symptomatic treatment in FSVD but also embrace behavior change techniques and counseling strategies...

The idea that a neurologist would do an 'FND clinic' or that functional neurological disorder (FND) could be a subspecialty of neurology would have been outlandish even 20 years ago but has become a reality in many places around the world. In this personal review, I reflect on 25 years of being a neurologist with an interest in FND, initially as a research fellow and later as a consultant/attending. I review lessons from diagnosis and management in the hope that they may assist other neurologists embarking on a similar career as well as other health professionals whose roles overlap...

BACKGROUND: Treating functional movement disorder (FMD) with motor retraining is effective but resource intensive. OBJECTIVES: Identify patient, disease, and program variables associated with favorable treatment outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective review of the 1 week intensive outpatient FMD program at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from February 2019 to August 2021. Outcomes included patient-reported measures (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure-Performance and Satisfaction subscales [COPM-P and COPM-S, range 0-10] and Global Rating of Change [GROC, -7 to +7]) and a retrospective investigator-rated scale (0-3, worse/not improved to significantly improved/resolved)...

BACKGROUND: Functional movement disorders (FMD) are associated with a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities. OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in FMD. METHODS: A total of 167 consecutive patients with clinically definite FMD (mean age = 44.4 years, standard deviation [SD] = 12.0, 119 females) and 145 healthy controls (mean age = 43.2 years, SD = 11...

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to provide a preliminary assessment of objective and subjective neurocognitive functioning in individuals with functional motor symptoms (FMS) and/or functional seizures (FS). We tested the hypotheses that the FMS/FS group would display poorer objective attentional and executive functioning, altered social cognition, and reduced metacognitive accuracy. METHOD: Individuals with FMS/FS (n = 16) and healthy controls (HCs, n = 17) completed an abbreviated CANTAB battery, and measures of intellectual functioning, subjective cognitive complaints, performance validity, and comorbid symptoms...