Basics

Question 1

what is another name for functional neurological symptom disorder?

Answer 1

what is another name for conversion disorder?

Question 2

Define functional neurological symptom disorder.

Answer 2

an illness of symptoms or deficits that affect voluntary motor or sensory functions, which suggest another medical condition, but that is judged to be caused by psychological factors because the illness if preceded by conflicts or stressors

Question 3

are sx of functional neurological symptom disorder intentionally produced?

Answer 3

no

Question 4

what is the primary gain in functional neurological symptom disorder?

Answer 4

psychological rather than monetary or societal

Question 5

does pain or do sexual sx alone count as sufficient to diagnose functional neurological symptom disorder?

Answer 5

no

Question 6

Name the 12 most common motor symptoms of conversion disorder.

Answer 6

involuntary movements
tics
blepharospasm
torticollis
opisthotonos (risus sardonicus)
seizures
abnormal gait
falling
astasia-abasia
paralysis
weakness
aphonia

Question 7

what are the five most common sensory deficits in conversion disorder?

Answer 7

anesthesia, especially of extremities 
midline anesthesia
blindness
tunnel vision
deafness

Question 8

what are the 6 most common visceral sx of functional neurological symptom disorder?

Answer 8

psychogenic vomiting
pseudocyesis
globus hystericus
swooning or syncope
urinary retention
diarrhea

Question 9

what perce tof psychiatric consultations in a general hospital involve patients with conversion disorder?

Answer 9

5-15%

Question 10

ratio of women: men affected by conversion disorder?

Answer 10

2:1 perhaps as much as 10:1

Question 11

which personality disorder is conversion disorder associated with in men?

Answer 11

antisocial

Question 12

when should you be particularly concerned that sx which appear c/w conversion disorder are highly likely to represent an occult medical or neurological condition?

Answer 12

if the onset of conversion disorder is middle or old age

Question 13

what psych diagnoses is conversion disorder often comorbid with?

Answer 13

MDD, anxiety disorders, somatization disorder

Question 14

what is the typical course of conversion disorder in the setting of comorbid neuro or medical conditions?

Answer 14

the conversion disorder is an elaboration of sx stemming from the original organic lesion

Question 15

in general, what personality disorders most commonly accompany conversion disorder?

Answer 15

histrionic type, passive-dependent type

Question 16

what is the etiology of conversion disorder according to psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 16

the sx of the patient’s conversion disorder allows them to partially express an unacceptable impulse in disguise, also may be a nonverbal means of controlling or manipulating others and of making clear that they need special consideration or treatment

Question 17

what is the etiology of conversion disorder according to learning theory?

Answer 17

the sx of conversion disorder are classically conditioned learned behaviors from illness in childhood - sx of illness are called forth as a means of coping with an otherwise impossible situation

Question 18

what are the 3 most common conversion disorder symptoms?

Answer 18

paralysis, blindness, mutism

Question 19

what is the primary gain in conversion disorder? secondary gain?

Answer 19

primary gain is keeping internal conflicts outside of their awareness, secondary gain is the benefits of the sick role

Question 20

what percent of patients dx as having conversion disorder eventually receive dx of neurological or nonpsychiatric medical disorders that could have caused their presenting sx?

Answer 20

fully 25-50%!!

Question 21

usual time course of conversion disorder

Answer 21

onset is acute and 95% of cases resolve within 2 weeks