Functional neurological disorders

Question 1

What is a functional neurological disoder?

Answer 1

Name given to symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system but which are not caused by physical neurological disease or disorder
Medically unexplained, psychosomatic or somatisation
Often short-lived symptoms but others persist for months/years and are disabling
Symptoms change with time, resulting patients to repeatedly consult doctors for advice and investigations

Question 2

What sensory symptoms can you get with functional disorders?

Answer 2

Loss of sensation
Pain that is often difficult to locate and seems to come from muscles, skin, or joints at various times
Intense tiredness or fatigue and difficulty concentrating
Worse at times of stress
Sensory overload - lights too bright, noises too intrusive, heat and cold very uncomfortable, uncomfortable skin sensations

Question 3

What concentration, memory and fatigue problems can you get with functional disorders?

Answer 3

Memory problems - difficulty concentrating
Brain ‘fog’
Exhausted and fatigued

Question 4

What movement symptoms can you get with functional disorders?

Answer 4

Difficulty moving
Slowed down, cannot move part of body or grip
Limbs don’t do what they want them to do
Involuntary movements - twitches, tremors

Question 5

What do functional seizures look like?

Answer 5

Often look like epileptic attacks or fainting spells but frequent and prolonged, body movements come and go
Person usually emotionally upset afterwards

Question 6

How are functional neurological disorder diagnosed?

Answer 6

Scans to rule out physical causes

Clinical assessment