The involuntary nature of conversion disorder

Biomarkers and Rehabilitation for Functional Neurological Disorder

Functional neurological disorder, or FND, is widely misunderstood, particularly when considering recent research indicating that the illness has numerous biological markers in addition to its psychiatric disorder associations. Nonetheless, the long-held view that FND is a mental illness without a biological basis, or even a contrived (malingered) illness, remains pervasive both in current medical care and general society. This is because FND involves intermittent disability that rapidly and involuntarily alternates with improved neurological control. This has in turn caused shaming, perceived low self-efficacy, and social isolation for the patients. Until now, biomarker reviews for FND tended not to examine the features that are shared with canonical neurological disorders. This review, in contrast, examines current research on FND biomarkers, and in particular their overlap with canonical neurological disorders, along with the encouraging outcomes for numerous physical rehabilitation trials for FND. These findings support the perspective endorsed here that FND is unquestionably a neurological disorder that is also associated with many biological markers that lie outside of the central nervous system. These results suggest that FND entails multiple biological abnormalities that are widely distributed in the body. General healthcare providers would benefit their care for their patients through their improved understanding of the illness and recourses for support and treatment that are provided in this review.

Stigma in functional neurological disorder (FND) - A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate stigma and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) regarding: 1) prevalence and associated factors, 2) the nature and context of stigma in FND, and 3) stigma-reduction interventions.

METHODS

We searched four relevant databases from inception to December 2023, using search terms relevant to FND and stigma themes. We employed the method of synthesis by "aggregation and configuration" to synthesise and analyse the data into emergent themes.

RESULTS

We found 127 studies, spanning 148 countries, involving 18,886 participants. Of these, 4889 were patients, 13,123 were healthcare professionals, and 526 were caregivers. Quantitatively, stigma has been mainly studied in patients with functional seizures, and was higher than patients with epilepsy in three studies. Stigma experienced by patients is associated with poorer quality of life and caregiver burden. We found 10 themes and 29 subthemes revealing stigma as a systemic process, with intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural aspects. Few studies examined the perspective of caregivers, the public or online community. We identified six anti-stigma interventions.

CONCLUSION

Stigma in FND is a layered process, and affects patient quality of life and provision of care. Stigma needs to be addressed from the top structures, at governmental level, so that appropriate care pathways can be created, giving patients with FND parity of esteem with other medical conditions.

Probing the functional magnetic resonance imaging response to psilocybin in functional neurological disorder (PsiFUND): study protocol

Background

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common cause of neurological symptoms including paralysis, seizures, and movement disorders. It is often debilitating, is associated with high health and social care costs, and can have a poor prognosis. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has suggested FND is a multi-network disorder; the default mode network (DMN) may be specifically implicated. Converging evidence suggests that other variable mechanisms including dissociation, interoception, and motor agency may be differentially abnormal in people with FND. Psychedelics are currently under investigation for numerous neuropsychiatric disorders and have been shown to disrupt functional networks such as the DMN. Administering psychedelics to people with FND will help us to probe mechanistic theories of the disorder.

Protocol

In this open-label neuroimaging study, we will administer 25mg oral psilocybin with psychological support to people with chronic FND (target n = 24). Participants will undergo resting-state and task-based (Libet's clock, a measure of motor agency) fMRI sequences which will be compared in a pre-post manner. Additional mechanistic outcomes including measures of interoception (heartbeat tracking task), somatisation, illness perceptions, imaginative suggestibility, and dissociation will be collected. Data on expectancy, preparedness, and subjective experience of the psychedelic experience will also be gathered. Participants will be followed up for three months following psilocybin administration. fMRI changes in networks such as the DMN will be analysed using seed-based approaches, and additional exploratory analysis of resting-state imaging will take place.

Discussion

The study will help us to probe the mechanisms thought to potentially underpin FND. As the first modern study of psychedelics in FND, it will also help us to understand whether psychedelic administration alongside psychological support might be safe and feasible in this patient population.

Exploring therapeutic interventions for functional neurological disorders: a comprehensive scoping review

Functional Neurological Disorders (FNDs) are characterized by the symptoms experienced by the individuals but also by how they express personal experiences and concerns related to the clinical condition. Access to care programs for functional neurological symptoms appears challenging and may entail circular, self-perpetuating healthcare pathways. Given the challenging and misleading interpretations around FND, in advocating for care pathways beyond medical therapies, we designed a scoping review to map recently suggested practices and interventions. We identified 31 relevant papers published between January 2018 and December 2022. Most of the literature was gathered from the US and UK healthcare experiences, with documented interventions provided by multi-professional teams or stand-alone psychotherapists. We found different care pathways addressing either motor or non-motor manifestations. Persons with Functional Motor Disorder are more likely to be referred to physical therapy first, while Persons suffering from Non-Epileptic Seizures are to mental health services. A narrow focus was given to minor components of multimodal approaches (e.g. social workers, and occupational therapists). High heterogeneity was found between assessment instruments as well, reflecting different perspectives in selecting treatment outcomes (e.g., reduction of non-epileptic events, psychological functioning, motor symptoms). Among healthcare professionals, neurologists and (neuro)psychiatrists are typically engaged in formulating and delivering diagnoses, while treatment is often administered by physiotherapists and/or psychologists. In the context of FNDs, the complex etiopathological nature of the condition, including comorbidities, suggests the recommendation of multidisciplinary treatments adopting a stepped care model progressing from standard to higher level individualized modules may better suit individual complexities.

Illness perceptions, experiences of stigma and engagement in functional neurological disorder (FND): exploring the role of multidisciplinary group education sessions

Background

A critical first step in managing functional neurological disorder (FND) is a positive diagnosis and clear explanation using an understandable illness model. Multidisciplinary group education sessions are one way to achieve this, with some evidence they improve understanding, confidence in diagnosis and outcomes with further treatment. In many conditions, illness perceptions and stigma affect distress, functioning, quality of life and engagement. Exploring relationships between these factors could lead to deeper understanding of the impact of education.

Methods

Questionnaires assessing illness perceptions, quality of life, mood, anxiety, comorbidities, treatment engagement and stigma (both experienced and anticipated) were completed before, immediately and 1 month after a multidisciplinary online group education session for FND at a regional neurosciences centre. Free-text data on causal attributions and needs were also collected.

Results

166 patients attended online education sessions from January 2022 to July 2023; 61 (37%) completed presession surveys, 42 (25%) completed postsession and 35 (21%) completed 1 month postsession surveys. Patients reported multiple comorbidities, poor quality of life, functioning and high levels of stigma. Illness perception scores indicated FND as threatening, mysterious and unpredictable, with low personal or treatment control over symptoms. Illness coherence/understanding (mean difference 2.27, p<0.01, 95% CI 1.22 to 4.23) and engagement (mean difference 2.42, p<0.01, 95% CI 0.46 to 4.36) increased after the session. There were no significant changes in stigma, distress, sense of control or anticipated discrimination. Free-text analysis revealed stress and trauma as the most common causal attributions, followed by physical illnesses. Patients requested personalised formulations, practical disability advice, help with explaining the condition to others (eg, employers), peer support and treatment.

Conclusion

Multidisciplinary group FND education sessions potentially improve patient understanding and engagement. Clinicians should consider the possible benefits of personalised formulations and linking to practical and peer support. Further work assessing illness perceptions is needed, such as adapting measures for FND.

[Understanding and explaining functional movement disorders]

Functional movement disorders are not uncommon in neurological consultations, hospitals and emergency departments. Although the disorder can usually be recognized clinically, the communication of the diagnosis is often unsatisfactory. Those affected are indirectly accused of a lack of insight or openness but it is often the doctors who fail to formulate a coherent and comprehensible explanation of the underlying disorder. In this review an integrative model for the development of functional movement disorders is presented, which places the motor (and nonmotor) symptoms in a neuroscientific light. In addition, explanations and metaphors are presented that have proven helpful in conveying an understanding of the disorder.

BOLD signal variability as potential new biomarker of functional neurological disorders

BACKGROUND

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common neuropsychiatric condition with established diagnostic criteria and effective treatments but for which the underlying neuropathophysiological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent neuroimaging studies have revealed FND as a multi-network brain disorder, unveiling alterations across limbic, self-agency, attentional/salience, and sensorimotor networks. However, the relationship between identified brain alterations and disease progression or improvement is less explored.

METHODS

This study included resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 79 patients with FND and 74 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). First, voxel-wise BOLD signal variability was computed for each participant and the group-wise difference was calculated. Second, we investigated the potential of BOLD signal variability to serve as a prognostic biomarker for clinical outcome in 47 patients who attended a follow-up measurement after eight months.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated higher BOLD signal variability in key networks, including the somatomotor, salience, limbic, and dorsal attention networks, in patients compared to controls. Longitudinal analysis revealed an increase in BOLD signal variability in the supplementary motor area (SMA) in FND patients who had an improved clinical outcome, suggesting SMA variability as a potential state biomarker. Additionally, higher BOLD signal variability in the left insula at baseline predicted a worse clinical outcome.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to the understanding of FND pathophysiology, emphasizing the dynamic nature of neural activity and highlighting the potential of BOLD signal variability as a valuable research tool. The insula and SMA emerge as promising regions for further investigation as prognostic and state markers.

Predictive Processing and the Pathophysiology of Functional Neurological Disorder

The contemporary neuroscience understanding of the brain as an active inference organ supports that our conscious experiences, including sensorimotor perceptions, depend on the integration of probabilistic predictions with incoming sensory input across hierarchically organized levels. As in other systems, these complex processes are prone to error under certain circumstances, which may lead to alterations in their outcomes (i.e., variations in sensations and movements). Such variations are an important aspect of functional neurological disorder, a complex disorder at the interface of brain-mind-body interactions. Thus, predictive processing frameworks offer fundamental mechanistic insights into the pathophysiology of functional neurological disorder. In recent years, many of the aspects relevant to the neurobiology of functional neurological disorder - e.g., aberrant motor and sensory processes, symptom expectation, self-agency, and illness beliefs, as well as interoception, allostasis, and emotion - have been investigated through the lens of predictive processing frameworks. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of research on predictive processing and the pathophysiology of functional neurological disorder.

Forensic assessment of somatoform and functional neurological disorders

Functional neurological disorders (FND) and somatization are common in clinical practice and medicolegal settings. These conditions are frequently disabling and, if arising following an accident, may lead to claims for legal compensation or occupational disability (such as social security disability insurance). However, distinguishing FND and somatization from symptoms that are intentionally produced (i.e., malingered or factitious) may pose a major forensic psychiatric challenge. In this article, we describe how somatoform disorders and FND lie along a spectrum of abnormal illness-related behaviors, including factitious disorder, compensation neurosis, and malingering. We provide a systematic approach to the forensic assessment of FND and conclude by describing common litigation scenarios in which FND may be at issue. Forensic testimony may play an important role in the resolution of such cases.

Understanding Functional Neurological Disorder: Recent Insights and Diagnostic Challenges

Functional neurological disorder (FND), formerly called conversion disorder, is a condition characterized by neurological symptoms that lack an identifiable organic purpose. These signs, which can consist of motor, sensory, or cognitive disturbances, are not deliberately produced and often vary in severity. Its diagnosis is predicated on clinical evaluation and the exclusion of other medical or psychiatric situations. Its treatment typically involves a multidisciplinary technique addressing each of the neurological symptoms and underlying psychological factors via a mixture of medical management, psychotherapy, and supportive interventions. Recent advances in neuroimaging and a deeper exploration of its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation have shed new light on this disorder. This paper synthesizes the current knowledge on FND, focusing on its epidemiology and underlying mechanisms, neuroimaging insights, and the differentiation of FND from feigning or malingering. This review highlights the phenotypic heterogeneity of FND and the diagnostic challenges it presents. It also discusses the significant role of neuroimaging in unraveling the complex neural underpinnings of FND and its potential in predicting treatment response. This paper underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of FND in informing clinical practice and guiding future research. With advancements in neuroimaging techniques and growing recognition of the disorder's multifaceted nature, the paper suggests a promising trajectory toward more effective, personalized treatment strategies and a better overall understanding of the disorder.

Posterior cingulate cortex hyperactivity in conversion disorder: a PET/MRI study

Introduction

Several neuroimaging studies have been conducted to demonstrate the specific structural and functional brain correlations of conversion disorder. Although the findings of neuroimaging studies are not consistent, when evaluated as a whole, they suggest the presence of significant brain abnormalities. The aim of this study is to investigate brain metabolic activity through F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/MRI in order to shed light on the neural correlates of conversion disorder.

Methods

20 patients diagnosed with conversion disorder were included in the study. Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales, Somatosensory Amplification Scale and Somatoform Dissociation Scale were administered. Then, brain F-18 FDG-PET/MRI was performed..

Results

Hypermetabolism was found in posterior cingulate R, while glucose metabolisms of other brain regions were observed to be within the normal limits. When compared with the control group, statistically significant differences in z-scores were observed among all brain regions except for parietal superior R and cerebellum. No correlation was observed between the metabolisms of the left ACC and left medial PFC; left ACC and left temporal lateral cortex; cerebellum and left parietal inferior cortex despite the presence of positive correlations between these regions in the opposite hemisphere.

Discussion

Results of the study suggest a potential involvement of the DMN which is associated with arousal and self-referential processing as well as regions associated with motor intention and self-agency.

Forearm bisection task suggests an alteration in body schema in patients with functional movement disorders (motor conversion disorders)

OBJECTIVES

To explore potential alterations of the Body Schema, the implicit sensorimotor representation of one's own body, in patients with Functional Movement Disorders (FMD, Motor Conversion Disorders), characterized by neurological symptoms of altered voluntary motor function that cannot be explained by typical medical conditions. This investigation is prompted by the potential dissociation from their reportedly intact sense of ownership.

METHODS

10 FMD patients and 11 healthy controls (HC) underwent the Forearm Bisection Task, aimed at assessing perceived body metrics, which consists in asking the subject, blindfolded, to repeatedly point at the perceived middle point of their dominant forearm with the index finger of their contralateral hand, and a psychometric assessment for anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and tendency to dissociation.

RESULTS

FMD patients bisected their forearm more proximally (with an increased shift towards their elbow equal to 7.5%) with respect to HC; average bisection point was positively associated with anxiety levels in the whole sample, and with the tendency to dissociation in the FMD group.

CONCLUSIONS

FMD patients perceive their forearm as shorter than HC, suggesting an alteration of their Body Schema. The Body Schema can go through short- and long-term updates in the life course, mainly related to the use of each body segment; we speculate that, despite FMD being a disorder of functional nature, characterized by variability and fluctuations in symptomatology, the lack of sense of agency over a body part might be interpreted by the nervous system as disuse and hence influence the Body Schema, as deficits of organic etiology do.

The place of Free Will: the freedom of the prisoner

Debates about the concept of Free Will date back to ancient times. About 40 years ago, Benjamin Libet designed an experiment showing that the conscious intention to move is preceded by a specific pattern of brain activation. His finding suggested that unconscious processes determine our decisions. Libet-style experiments have continued to dominate the debate about Free Will, pushing some authors to argue that the existence of Free Will is a mere illusion. We believe that this dispute is because we often measure Free Will using arbitrary human decisions rather than deliberate actions. After reviewing the definition of Free Will and the related literature, we conclude that the scientific evidence does not disprove the existence of Free Will. However, our will encounters several constraints and limitations that should be considered when evaluating our deeds' personal responsibility.

Non-invasive neuromodulation of the right temporoparietal junction using theta-burst stimulation in functional neurological disorder

Background

Disrupted sense of agency (SoA)-the sense of being the agent of one's own actions-has been demonstrated in patients with functional neurological disorder (FND), and a key area of the corresponding neuronal network is the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ). Several functional MRI (fMRI) studies have found hypoactivation as well as hyperactivation of the rTPJ in FND. In a proof-of-concept study, we tested whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the rTPJ could restore this aberrant activity.

Methods

In a randomised, crossover, single-blinded, sham-controlled study design, theta-burst stimulation (tb-rTMS) was applied over the rTPJ in 23 patients with FND and 19 healthy controls (HC), with each participant undergoing three stimulatory visits (inhibitory continuous TBS (cTBS), excitatory intermittent TBS (iTBS) and sham). During fMRI, participants played a visuomotor task artificially reducing their SoA (manipulated agency, MA), repeated after each neurostimulation. We compared brain activity and behavioural SoA as primary outcomes before and after tb-rTMS and investigated the feasibility of tb-rTMS over the rTPJ in FND as secondary outcome.

Results

At baseline, patients showed decreased accuracy in detecting reduced agency compared with controls (p<0.001), paralleled by lower brain activation in the rTPJ during MA (p=0.037, volume of interest). A region of interest analysis on the rTPJ showed no effect of the sham condition in FND or HC (p=0.917; p=0.375) but revealed a significant effect of stimulation protocol (cTBS/iTBS, p=0.037) in patients with FND, with the excitatory protocol increasing the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal, whereas this effect was not found in HC. In neither group, a behavioural effect of tb-rTMS was observed.

Conclusion

Aberrant processing of agency in FND was confirmed at baseline, reflected in behavioural outcome and reduced activity in the rTPJ. Tb-rTMS over this key region elicited neuronal changes in patients, paving ways for future studies exploring TMS as neurobiologically informed intervention to restore SoA in FND. We critically discuss methodological intricacies and outline further steps in this research line.

From Software to Hardware: A Case Series of Functional Neurological Symptoms and Cerebrovascular Disease

OBJECTIVE

Neuroimaging studies have identified alterations in both brain structure and functional connectivity in patients with functional neurological disorder (FND). For many patients, FND emerges from physical precipitating events. Nevertheless, there are a limited number of case series in the literature that describe the clinical presentation and neuroimaging correlates of FND following cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS

The authors collected data from two clinics in the United Kingdom on 14 cases of acute, improving, or delayed functional neurological symptoms following cerebrovascular events.

RESULTS

Most patients had functional neurological symptoms that were localized to cerebrovascular lesions, and the lesions mapped onto regions known to be part of functional networks disrupted in FND, including the thalamus, anterior cingulate gyrus, insula, and temporoparietal junction.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings demonstrate that structural lesions can lead to FND symptoms, possibly explained through changes in relevant mechanistic functional networks.

Right temporoparietal junction transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of functional dissociative seizures: a case series

Functional dissociative seizures (FDSs) are clinical events that resemble epileptic seizures but are not associated with abnormal brain electrical discharges or other physiological problems. In this pilot case series, ten adults with FDSs were recruited from our psychiatry department after being referred by a neurologist who made the diagnosis of FDS based on video EEG results. Each subject received ten sessions of cathodal tDCS focused on the right temporoparietal junction. A significant decrease in weekly seizure frequency was seen in all participants between baseline (30.2 ± 70.3 events) and 1 month after tDCS treatment (0.2 ± 0.3events) (p = 0.006). Main predisposing factors were unchanged after treatment.

The neural basis of somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold as a paradigm for time processing in the sub-second range: An updated review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The temporal aspect of somesthesia is a feature of any somatosensory process and a pre-requisite for the elaboration of proper behavior. Time processing in the milliseconds range is crucial for most of behaviors in everyday life. The somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is the ability to perceive two successive stimuli as separate in time, and deals with time processing in this temporal range. Herein, we focus on the physiology of STDT, on a background of the anatomophysiology of somesthesia and the neurobiological substrates of timing.

METHODS

A review of the literature through PubMed & Cochrane databases until March 2023 was performed with inclusion and exclusion criteria following PRISMA recommendations.

RESULTS

1151 abstracts were identified. 4 duplicate records were discarded before screening. 957 abstracts were excluded because of redundancy, less relevant content or not English-written. 4 were added after revision. Eventually, 194 articles were included.

CONCLUSIONS

STDT encoding relies on intracortical inhibitory S1 function and is modulated by the basal ganglia-thalamic-cortical interplay through circuits involving the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway and probably the superior colliculus.

Functional neurological disorder is a feminist issue

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common and disabling disorder, often misunderstood by clinicians. Although viewed sceptically by some, FND is a diagnosis that can be made accurately, based on positive clinical signs, with clinical features that have remained stable for over 100 years. Despite some progress in the last decade, people with FND continue to suffer subtle and overt forms of discrimination by clinicians, researchers and the public. There is abundant evidence that disorders perceived as primarily affecting women are neglected in healthcare and medical research, and the course of FND mirrors this neglect. We outline the reasons why FND is a feminist issue, incorporating historical and contemporary clinical, research and social perspectives. We call for parity for FND in medical education, research and clinical service development so that people affected by FND can receive the care they need.

Can neuroscience enlighten the philosophical debate about free will?

Free will has been at the heart of philosophical and scientific discussions for many years. However, recent advances in neuroscience have been perceived as a threat to the commonsense notion of free will as they challenge two core requirements for actions to be free. The first is the notion of determinism and free will, i.e., decisions and actions must not be entirely determined by antecedent causes. The second is the notion of mental causation, i.e., our mental state must have causal effects in the physical world, in other words, actions are caused by conscious intention. We present the classical philosophical positions related to determinism and mental causation, and discuss how neuroscience could shed a new light on the philosophical debate based on recent experimental findings. Overall, we conclude that the current evidence is insufficient to undermine free will.

Perception-Action Integration Is Altered in Functional Movement Disorders

BACKGROUND

Although functional neurological movement disorders (FMD) are characterized by motor symptoms, sensory processing has also been shown to be disturbed. However, how the integration of perception and motor processes, essential for the control of goal-directed behavior, is altered in patients with FMD is less clear. A detailed investigation of these processes is crucial to foster a better understanding of the pathophysiology of FMD and can systematically be achieved in the framework of the theory of event coding (TEC).

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate perception-action integration processes on a behavioral and neurophysiological level in patients with FMD.

METHODS

A total of 21 patients and 21 controls were investigated with a TEC-related task, including concomitant electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. We focused on EEG correlates established to reflect perception-action integration processes. Temporal decomposition allowed to distinguish between EEG codes reflecting sensory (S-cluster), motor (R-cluster), and integrated sensory-motor processing (C-cluster). We also applied source localization analyses.

RESULTS

Behaviorally, patients revealed stronger binding between perception and action, as evidenced by difficulties in reconfiguring previously established stimulus-response associations. Such hyperbinding was paralleled by a modulation of neuronal activity clusters, including reduced C-cluster modulations of the inferior parietal cortex and altered R-cluster modulations in the inferior frontal gyrus. Correlations of these modulations with symptom severity were also evident.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that FMD is characterized by altered integration of sensory information with motor processes. Relations between clinical severity and both behavioral performance and neurophysiological abnormalities indicate that perception-action integration processes are central and a promising concept for the understanding of FMD. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

[Understanding functional neurological disorders: From biological markers to pathophysiological models]

OBJECTIVES

Functional neurological disorders have witnessed intense research activity in the fields of structural and functional neuroimaging for more than twenty years. Thus, we propose a synthesis of recent research findings and etiological hypotheses that have been proposed so far. This work should help clinicians to better understand the nature of the mechanisms involved, but also help patients to increase their knowledge about the biological features underlying their functional symptoms.

METHODS

We carried out a narrative review of international publications dealing with neuroimaging and biology of functional neurological disorders, from 1997 to 2023.

RESULTS

Several brain networks underlie functional neurological symptoms. These networks play a role in the management of cognitive resources, in attentional control, emotion regulation, in agency and in the processing of interoceptive signals. The mechanisms of the stress response are also associated with the symptoms. The biopsychosocial model helps to better understand predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors involved. The functional neurological phenotype results from the interaction between: i) a specific pre-existing vulnerability resulting from biological background and epigenetic modifications, and ii) exposure to stress factors, according to the stress-diathesis model. This interaction causes emotional disturbances including hypervigilance, lack of integration of sensations and affects, and emotional dysregulation. These characteristics in turn impact the cognitive, motor and affective control processes related with the functional neurological symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

A better knowledge of the biopsychosocial determinants of brain network dysfunctions is necessary. Understanding them would help developing targeted treatments, but is also critical for patients care.

Dissociation in patients with epilepsy and functional seizures: A narrative review of the literature

Dissociation is a "disruption of the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or perception of the environment" according to DSM-5.  It is commonly seen in psychiatric disorders including primary dissociative disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and panic disorder. Dissociative phenomena are also described in the context of substance intoxication, sleep deprivation and medical illnesses including traumatic brain injury, migraines, and epilepsy. Patients with epilepsy have higher rates of dissociative experiences as measured on the Dissociative Experiences Scale compared to healthy controls. Ictal symptoms, especially in focal epilepsy of temporal lobe origin, may include dissociative-like experiences such as déjà vu/jamais vu, depersonalization, derealization and what has been described as a "dreamy state".  These descriptions are common in the setting of seizures that originate from mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and may involve the amygdala and hippocampus. Other ictal dissociative phenomena include autoscopy and out of body experiences, which are thought to be due to disruptions in networks responsible for the integration of one's own body and extra-personal space and involve the temporoparietal junction and posterior insula. In this narrative review, we will summarize the updated literature on dissociative experiences in epilepsy, as well as dissociative experiences in functional seizures. Using a case example, we will review the differential diagnosis of dissociative symptoms. We will also review neurobiological underpinnings of dissociative symptoms across different diagnostic entities and discuss how ictal symptoms may shed light on the neurobiology of complex mental processes including the subjective nature of consciousness and self-identity.

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures-High Mortality Rate Is a 'Wake-Up Call'

Patients with epilepsy have an elevated mortality rate compared to the general population and now studies are showing a comparable death ratio in patients diagnosed with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. The latter is a top differential diagnosis for epilepsy and the unexpected mortality rate in these patients underscores the importance of an accurate diagnosis. Experts have called for more studies to elucidate this finding but the explanation is already available, embedded in the existing data. To illustrate, a review of the diagnostic practice in epilepsy monitoring units, of the studies examining mortality in PNES and epilepsy patients, and of the general clinical literature on the two populations was conducted. The analysis reveals that the scalp EEG test result, which distinguishes a psychogenic from an epileptic seizure, is highly fallible; that the clinical profiles of the PNES and epilepsy patient populations are virtually identical; and that both are dying of natural and non-natural causes including sudden unexpected death associated with confirmed or suspected seizure activity. The recent data showing a similar mortality rate simply constitutes more confirmatory evidence that the PNES population consists largely of patients with drug-resistant scalp EEG-negative epileptic seizures. To reduce the morbidity and mortality in these patients, they must be given access to treatments for epilepsy.

Physical Rehabilitation of Motor Functional Neurological Disorders: A Narrative Review

Functional Neurological Disorders (FNDs) are one of the most common and disabling neurological disorders, affecting approximately 10-30% of patients in neurology clinics. FNDs manifest as a range of motor, sensory, and cognitive symptoms that are not explained by organic disease. This narrative review aims to assess the current state of knowledge in physical-based rehabilitation for motor/movement FNDs in the adult population, with the goal of improving research and medical care for this patient population. To ensure optimal outcomes for patients, it is critical to consider several domains pertaining to FNDs, including which field of discipline they should belong to, how to investigate and test, methods for rating outcome measures, and optimal courses of treatment. In the past, FNDs were primarily treated with psychiatric and psychological interventions. However, recent literature supports the inclusion of physical rehabilitation in the treatment of FNDs. Specifically, physical-based approaches tailored to FNDs have shown promising results. This review utilized a comprehensive search of multiple databases and inclusion criteria to identify relevant studies.

Sense of control, selective attention, cognitive inhibition, and psychosocial outcomes after Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT) in pediatric functional seizures

BACKGROUND

Differences in sense of control, cognitive inhibition, and selective attention in pediatric functional seizures (FS) versus matched controls implicate these as potential novel treatment targets. Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT), which targets these factors, has been shown in a randomized controlled trial to be effective in improving pediatric FS with 82% of patients having complete symptom remission at 60 days following treatment. However, post-intervention data on sense of control, cognitive inhibition, and selective attention are not yet available. In this study, we assess changes in these and other psychosocial factors after ReACT.

METHODS

Children with FS (N = 14, Mage = 15.00, 64.3% female, 64.3% White) completed 8 weeks of ReACT and reported FS frequency at pre and post-1 (7 days before and after ReACT). At pre, post-1, and post-2 (60 days after ReACT), all 14 children completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales, Behavior Assessment System (BASC2), and Children's Somatic Symptoms Inventory-24 (CSSI-24), and 8 children completed a modified Stroop task with seizure symptoms condition in which participants are presented with a word and respond to the ink color (e.g., "unconscious" in red) to assess selective attention and cognitive inhibition. At pre and post-1, ten children completed the magic and turbulence task (MAT) which assesses sense of control via 3 conditions (magic, lag, turbulence). In this computer-based task, participants attempt to catch falling X's while avoiding falling O's while their control over the task is manipulated in different ways. ANCOVAs controlling for change in FS from pre- to post-1 compared Stroop reaction time (RT) across all time points and MAT conditions between pre and post-1. Correlations assessed the relationships between changes in Stroop and MAT performance and change in FS from pre- to post-1. Paired samples t-tests assessed changes in quality of life (QOL), somatic symptoms, and mood pre to post-2.

RESULTS

Awareness that control was manipulated in the turbulence condition of the MAT increased at post-1 vs. pre- (p = 0.02, η2 = 0.57). This change correlated with a reduction in FS frequency after ReACT (r = 0.84, p < 0.01). Reaction time significantly improved for the seizure symptoms Stroop condition at post-2 compared to pre- (p = 0.02, η2 = 0.50), while the congruent and incongruent conditions were not different across time points. Quality of life was significantly improved at post-2, but the improvement was not significant when controlling for change in FS. Somatic symptom measures were significantly lower at post-2 vs. pre (BASC2: t(12) = 2.25, p = 0.04; CSSI-24: t(11) = 4.17, p < 0.01). No differences were observed regarding mood.

CONCLUSION

Sense of control improved after ReACT, and this improvement was proportional to a decrease in FS, suggesting this as a possible mechanism by which ReACT treats pediatric FS. Selective attention and cognitive inhibition were significantly increased 60 days after ReACT. The lack of improvement in QOL after controlling for change in FS suggests QOL changes may be mediated by decreases in FS. ReACT also improved general somatic symptoms independent of FS changes.

[Functional Neurological Disorders - A Common but Often Unrecognized Diagnosis]

Functional Neurological Disorders - A Common but Often Unrecognized Diagnosis Abstract: Functional neurological disorders are frequent and diverse in the clinical presentation. Psychological factors are part of the development and perpetuation of symptoms; psychiatric comorbidities may be present, but are not an obligatory diagnostic criterion. The diagnosis is primarily made on the basis of anamnesis and positive clinical signs. The commonness and reversibility of the symptoms should be emphasised in the clinical consultation, and the positive clinical signs should be demonstrated. Science-based explanations as well as the bio-psycho-social model can help patients to understand their diagnosis, which is relevant for a successful therapeutic outcome. It is recommended to use the neutral and descriptive term "functional neurological disorder". Treatment of the potentially reversible disease will be interdisciplinary and multimodal.

Performance validity tests in nonlitigant patients with functional motor disorder

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Performance validity tests (PVTs) are used in neuropsychological assessments to detect patterns of performance suggesting that the broader evaluation may be an invalid reflection of an individual's abilities. Data on functional motor disorder (FMD) are currently poor and conflicting. We aimed to examine the rate of failure on three different PVTs of nonlitigant, non-compensation-seeking FMD patients, and we compared their performance to that of healthy controls and controls asked to simulate malingering (healthy simulators).

METHODS

We enrolled 29 nonlitigant, non-compensation-seeking patients with a clinical diagnosis of FMD, 29 healthy controls, and 29 healthy simulators. Three PVTs, the Coin in the Hand Test (CIH), the Rey 15-Item Test (REY), and the Finger Tapping Test (FTT), were employed.

RESULTS

Functional motor disorder patients showed low rates of failure on the CIH and REY (7% and 10%, respectively) and slightly higher rates on the FTT (15%, n = 26), which implies a motor task. Their performance was statistically comparable to that of healthy controls but statistically different from that of healthy simulators (p < 0.001). Ninety-three percent of FMD patients, 7% of healthy simulators, and 100% of healthy controls passed at least two of the three tests.

CONCLUSIONS

Performance validity test performance of nonlitigant, non-compensation-seeking patients with FMD ranged from 7% to 15%. Patients' performance was comparable to that of controls and significantly differed from that of simulators. This simple battery of three PVTs could be of practical utility and routinely used in clinical practice.

Moving Beyond Movement: Diagnosing Functional Movement Disorder

Functional movement disorder (FMD) is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome, encompassing abnormal movements and weakness, and is a common cause of potentially disabling neurological symptoms. It is vital to recognize that FMD is a syndrome, with nonmotor manifestations negatively affecting a patient's quality of life. This review highlights a diagnostic algorithm, where a history suggestive of FMD is combined with the presence of positive signs on examination and appropriate investigations to make the diagnosis. Positive signs indicate internal inconsistency such as variability and distractibility, and clinical findings that are incongruent with other known neurological disease. Importantly, the clinical assessment acts as the first opportunity to allow patients to understand FMD as the cause for their symptoms. Accurate and early diagnosis of FMD is necessary given that it is a treatable and potentially reversible cause of disability, with significant risk of iatrogenic harm associated with misdiagnosis.

Why functional neurological disorder is not feigning or malingering

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is one of the commonest reasons that people seek help from a neurologist and is for many people a lifelong cause of disability and impaired quality of life. Although the evidence base regarding FND pathophysiology, treatment and service development has grown substantially in recent years, a persistent ambivalence remains amongst health professionals and others as to the veracity of symptom reporting in those with FND and whether the symptoms are not, in the end, just the same as feigned symptoms or malingering. Here, we provide our perspective on the range of evidence available, which in our view provides a clear separation between FND and feigning and malingering. We hope this will provide a further important step forward in the clinical and academic approach to people with FND, leading to improved attitudes, knowledge, treatments, care pathways and outcomes.

Functional neurological symptoms as initial presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: case series

BACKGROUND

Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) are common in clinical practice. It is recognized that FND may present at onset or during the course of other neurological diseases (functional comorbidity).

CASES

We report a clinical series of three patients who initially presented positive signs of a functional movement disorder (FMD) and were later diagnosed with a Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). All patients presented with unilateral functional tremor, two patients also had functional limb weakness. All patients progressed to an asymmetric corticobasal syndrome, fulfilling clinical criteria of CJD. They had a rapid progression and died within 2-3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

FND may be the initial clinical presentation of neurodegenerative diseases reflecting a dysfunction across brain circuits that are involved in the pathophysiology of FND. A positive diagnosis of FND is essential as it is an adequate examination and a close follow-up of these patients in neurology clinics.

Classification of Functional Movement Disorders with Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Introduction: Functional movement disorder (FMD) is a type of functional neurological disorder characterized by abnormal movements that patients do not perceive as self-generated. Prior imaging studies show a complex pattern of altered activity, linking regions of the brain involved in emotional responses, motor control, and agency. This study aimed to better characterize these relationships by building a classifier using a support vector machine to accurately distinguish between 61 FMD patients and 59 healthy controls using features derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Materials and Methods: First, we selected 66 seed regions based on prior related studies, then we calculated the full correlation matrix between them before performing recursive feature elimination to winnow the feature set to the most predictive features and building the classifier. Results: We identified 29 features of interest that were highly predictive of the FMD condition, classifying patients and controls with 80% accuracy. Several key features included regions in the right sensorimotor cortex, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left cerebellum, and left posterior insula. Conclusions: The features selected by the model highlight the importance of the interconnected relationship between areas associated with emotion, reward, and sensorimotor integration, potentially mediating communication between regions associated with motor function, attention, and executive function. Exploratory machine learning was able to identify this distinctive abnormal pattern, suggesting that alterations in functional linkages between these regions may be a consistent feature of the condition in many FMD patients. Clinical-Trials.gov ID: NCT00500994 Impact statement Our research presents novel results that further elucidate the pathophysiology of functional movement disorder (FMD) with a machine learning model that classifies FMD and healthy controls correctly 80% of the time. Herein, we demonstrate how known differences in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging connectivity in FMD patients can be leveraged to better understand the complex pattern of neural changes in these patients. Knowing that there are measurable predictable differences in brain activity in patients with FMD may help both clinicians and patients conceptualize and better understand the illness at the point of diagnosis and during treatment. Our methods demonstrate how an effective combination of machine learning and qualitative approaches to analyzing functional brain connectivity can enhance our understanding of abnormal patterns of brain activity in FMD patients.

Functional Neurological Disorder-Old Problem New Perspective

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common issue in the pediatric population. The concept and our understanding of functional neurological disorders have changed over the past years, and new etiologic models and treatment plans have been explored. Knowledge about FND in the pediatric population, however, is lacking. The aim of this review is to provide an update on pediatric functional neurological disorder. We conducted a literature search of PubMed and SCOPUS databases and reviewed a total of 85 articles to gain insight into the current understanding of FND etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in children and adolescents. Functional and high resolution MRI revealed abnormal connectivity and structural changes in patients with functional symptoms. The diagnostic criteria no longer require the presence of a psychological factor and instead focus on a rule-in diagnosis. Treatment of FND includes a clear communication of the diagnosis and the support of a multidisciplinary team. Although FND typically has a poor prognosis, better outcomes appear to have been achieved in children and young adults. We conclude that pediatric functional neurological disorder is a prevalent pathology and that this patient population has additional specific needs compared to the adult population.

Pedunculopontine-induced cortical decoupling as the neurophysiological locus of dissociation

Mounting evidence suggests an association between aberrant sleep phenomena and dissociative experiences. However, no wake-sleep boundary theory provides a compelling explanation of dissociation or specifies its physiological substrates. We present a theoretical account of dissociation that integrates theories and empirical results from multiple lines of research concerning the domain of dissociation and the regulation of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This theory posits that individual differences in the circuitry governing the REM sleep promoting Pedunculopontine Nucleus and Laterodorsal Tegmental Nucleus determine the degree of similarity in the cortical connectivity profiles of wakefulness and REM sleep. We propose that a latent trait characterized by elevated dissociative experiences emerges from the decoupling of frontal executive regions due to a REM sleep-like aminergic/cholinergic balance. The Pedunculopontine-Induced Cortical Decoupling Account of Dissociation (PICDAD) suggests multiple fruitful lines of inquiry and provides novel insights. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Altered Medial Prefrontal Connectivity in Parkinson's Disease Patients with Somatic Symptoms

BACKGROUND

The high co-occurrence of somatic symptom disorder (SSD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients suggests overlapping pathophysiology. However, little is known about the neural correlates of SSD and their possible interactions with PD. Existing studies have shown that SSD is associated with reduced task-evoked activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a central node of the default-mode network (DMN). SSD is also associated with abnormal γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content, a marker of local inhibitory tone and regional hypoactivity, in the same area when SSD co-occurs with PD.

OBJECTIVES

To disentangle the individual and shared effects of SSD and PD on mPFC neurotransmission and connectivity patterns and help disclose the neural mechanisms of comorbidity in the PD population.

METHODS

The study cohort included 18 PD patients with SSD (PD + SSD), 18 PD patients, 13 SSD patients who did not exhibit neurologic disorders, and 17 healthy subjects (HC). Proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy evaluated GABA levels within a volume of interest centered on the mPFC. Resting-state functional MR imaging investigated the region's functional connectivity patterns.

RESULTS

Compared to HC or PD groups, the mPFC of SSD subjects exhibited higher GABA levels and connectivity. Higher mPFC connectivity involved DMN regions in SSD patients without PD and regions of the executive and attentional networks (EAN) in patients with PD comorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Aberrant reconfigurations of connectivity patterns between the mPFC and the EAN are distinct features of the PD + SSD comorbidity. © 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Diagnosis and Management of Functional Tic-Like Phenomena

Over the past 3 years, a global phenomenon has emerged characterized by the sudden onset and frequently rapid escalation of tics and tic-like movements and phonations. These symptoms have occurred not only in youth known to have tics or Tourette syndrome (TS), but also, and more notably, in youth with no prior history of tics. The Tourette Association of America (TAA) convened an international, multidisciplinary working group to better understand this apparent presentation of functional neurological disorder (FND) and its relationship to TS. Here, we review and summarize the literature relevant to distinguish the two, with recommendations to clinicians for diagnosis and management. Finally, we highlight areas for future emphasis and research.

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder Manifesting as Auditory Verbal Agnosia in a 19-Year-Old Patient

Functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD), otherwise known as conversion disorder (CD), is a condition in which neurological deficits cannot solely be explained by medical pathology. Auditory verbal agnosia (AVA) is the inability to understand speech. While these two conditions are well-documented independently, a case of FNSD manifesting as AVA has not been previously reported. We present a 19-year-old patient, with a history complicated by congenital cardiomyopathy resulting in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and alpha-thalassemia, who demonstrated these symptoms. This case details the effectiveness of a multi-pronged treatment approach that was implemented over several years, eventually leading to the resolution of the conversion symptoms.

Multi-centre classification of functional neurological disorders based on resting-state functional connectivity

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Using machine learning on multi-centre data, FND patients were successfully classified with an accuracy of 72%.

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The angular- and supramarginal gyri, cingular- and insular cortex, and the hippocampus were the most discriminant regions.

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To provide diagnostic utility, future studies must include patients with similar symptoms but different diagnoses.

Background

Patients suffering from functional neurological disorder (FND) experience disabling neurological symptoms not caused by an underlying classical neurological disease (such as stroke or multiple sclerosis). The diagnosis is made based on reliable positive clinical signs, but clinicians often require additional time- and cost consuming medical tests and examinations. Resting-state functional connectivity (RS FC) showed its potential as an imaging-based adjunctive biomarker to help distinguish patients from healthy controls and could represent a “rule-in” procedure to assist in the diagnostic process. However, the use of RS FC depends on its applicability in a multi-centre setting, which is particularly susceptible to inter-scanner variability. The aim of this study was to test the robustness of a classification approach based on RS FC in a multi-centre setting.

Methods

This study aimed to distinguish 86 FND patients from 86 healthy controls acquired in four different centres using a multivariate machine learning approach based on whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity. First, previously published results were replicated in each centre individually (intra-centre cross-validation) and its robustness across inter-scanner variability was assessed by pooling all the data (pooled cross-validation). Second, we evaluated the generalizability of the method by using data from each centre once as a test set, and the data from the remaining centres as a training set (inter-centre cross-validation).

Results

FND patients were successfully distinguished from healthy controls in the replication step (accuracy of 74%) as well as in each individual additional centre (accuracies of 73%, 71% and 70%). The pooled cross validation confirmed that the classifier was robust with an accuracy of 72%. The results survived post-hoc adjustment for anxiety, depression, psychotropic medication intake, and symptom severity. The most discriminant features involved the angular- and supramarginal gyri, sensorimotor cortex, cingular- and insular cortex, and hippocampal regions. The inter-centre validation step did not exceed chance level (accuracy below 50%).

Conclusions

The results demonstrate the applicability of RS FC to correctly distinguish FND patients from healthy controls in different centres and its robustness against inter-scanner variability. In order to generalize its use across different centres and aim for clinical application, future studies should work towards optimization of acquisition parameters and include neurological and psychiatric control groups presenting with similar symptoms.

Diagnostic delay in functional seizures is associated with abnormal processing of facial emotions

PURPOSE

In patients with functional seizures (FS), delay in diagnosis (DD) may negatively affect outcomes. Altered brain responses to emotional stimuli have been shown in adults with FS. We hypothesized that DD would be associated with differential fMRI activation in emotion processing circuits.

METHODS

Fifty-two adults (38 females) with video-EEG confirmed FS prospectively completed assessments related to symptoms of depression (BDI-II), anxiety (BAI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-S), a measure of how their symptoms affect day-to-day life (GAF), and fMRI at 3T with emotional faces task (EFT). During fMRI, subjects indicated "male" or "female" via button press while implicitly processing happy, sad, fearful, and neutral faces. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) response to each emotion was modeled and group analyses were performed in AFNI within pre-specified regions-of-interest involved in emotion processing. A median split (507 days) defined short- (s-DD) and long-delay diagnosis (l-DD) groups. Voxelwise regression analyses were also performed to examine linear relationship between DD and emotion processing. FMRI signal was extracted from clusters showing group differences and Spearman's correlations assessed relationships with symptom scores.

RESULTS

Groups did not differ in FS age of onset, sex distribution, years of education, TBI characteristics, EFT in-scanner or post-test performance, or scores on the GAF, BDI-II, BAI, and PCL-S measures. The s-DD group was younger than l-DD (mean age 32.6 vs. 40.1; p = 0.022) at the time of study participation. After correcting for age, compared to s-DD, the l-DD group showed greater fMRI activation to sad faces in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and to neutral faces in the right anterior insula. Within-group linear regression revealed that with increasing DD, there was increased fMRI activation to sad faces in the PCC and to happy faces in the right anterior insula/inferior frontal gyrus (AI/IFG). There were positive correlations between PCC response to sad faces and BDI-II scores in the l-DD group (rho = 0.48, p = 0.012) and the combined sample (rho = 0.30, p = 0.029). Increased PCC activation to sad faces in those in the l-DD group was associated with worse symptoms of depression (i.e. higher BDI-II score).

CONCLUSIONS

Delay in FS diagnosis is associated with fMRI changes in PCC and AI/IFG. As part of the default mode network, PCC is implicated in mood control, self-referencing, and other emotion-relevant processes. In our study, PCC changes are linked to depression. Future studies should assess the effects of interventions on these abnormalities.

Symptom-severity-related brain connectivity alterations in functional movement disorders

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Brain connectivity alterations were found in functional movement disorders.

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Hyperconnectivity in temporoparietal junction and precuneus in functional weakness.

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Consistent brain connectivity differences with four different centrality measures.

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Motor symptom severity correlates positively with connectivity in functional weakness.

Background

Functional movement disorders, a common cause of neurological disabilities, can occur with heterogeneous motor manifestations including functional weakness. However, the underlying mechanisms related to brain function and connectivity are unknown.

Objective

To identify brain connectivity alterations related to functional weakness we assessed network centrality changes in a group of patients with heterogeneous motor manifestations using task-free functional MRI in combination with different network centrality approaches.

Methods

Task-free functional MRI was performed in 48 patients with heterogeneous motor manifestations including 28 patients showing functional weakness and 65 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Functional connectivity differences were assessed using different network centrality approaches, i.e. global correlation, eigenvector centrality, and intrinsic connectivity. Motor symptom severity was assessed using The Simplified Functional Movement Disorders Rating Scale and correlated with network centrality.

Results

Comparing patients with and without functional weakness showed significant network centrality differences in the left temporoparietal junction and precuneus. Patients with functional weakness showed increased centrality in the same anatomical regions when comparing functional weakness with healthy controls. Moreover, in the same regions, patients with functional weakness showed a positive correlation between motor symptom severity and network centrality. This correlation was shown to be specific to functional weakness with an interaction analysis, confirming a significant difference between patients with and without functional weakness.

Conclusions

We identified the temporoparietal junction and precuneus as key regions involved in brain connectivity alterations related to functional weakness. We propose that both regions may be promising targets for phenotype-specific non-invasive brain stimulation.

Sense of control, selective attention and cognitive inhibition in pediatric functional seizures: A prospective case-control study

PURPOSE

To date, laboratory-based experimental behavioral methods have not been used to identify factors associated with pediatric functional seizures (FS), leaving a critical gap for effective treatment development.

METHODS

Children ages 13-18 with video-EEG-confirmed FS were matched to controls (MCs) based on income, sex, race, and age. A modified Stroop task which included a condition requiring participants to report the ink colors in which seizure symptom words were written (e.g., "shaking" in blue) measured selective attention and cognitive inhibition through response time. The magic and turbulence task assessed sense of control in three conditions (magic, lag, turbulence). Children with FS were asked to report premonitory symptoms predicting FS.

RESULTS

Participants included 26 children with FS and 26 MCs (Meanage=15.2, 74% female, 59% white). On Stroop, children with FS had a slower reaction time (Mean=1193.83) than MCs (Mean=949.26, p = 0.022) for seizure symptom words. Children with FS had significantly poorer sense of control in the turbulence condition of the magic and turbulence task (Mean=-3.99, SD=8.83) than MCs (Mean=-11.51, SD=7.87; t(20)=-2.61, p =0.017). Children with FS (Mean=-1.80, SD=6.54) also had significantly poorer sense of control in the magic condition than MCs (Mean=-5.57, SD=6.01; p =0.028). Ninety-eight percent of patients endorsed premonitory symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Compared with MCs, children with FS have (1) poorer selective attention and cognitive inhibition when presented with seizure-related information and (2) lower sense of control (i.e. poorer awareness that their control was manipulated). Premonitory symptoms were common. Sense of control, selective attention, and inhibition may be novel treatment targets for FS intervention.

Bridging structural and functional biomarkers in functional movement disorder using network mapping

BACKGROUND

There are gaps in our neurobiological understanding of functional movement disorder (FMD).

OBJECTIVES

We investigated gray matter volumetric profiles in FMD, and related findings to resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) profiles using Human Connectome Project data.

METHODS

Volumetric differences between 53 FMD patients and 50 controls were examined, as well as relationships between individual differences in FMD symptom severity and volumetric profiles. Atrophy network mapping was also used to probe whether FMD-related structural alterations preferentially impacted brain areas with dense rsFC.

RESULTS

Compared to controls without neurological comorbidities (albeit with mild depression and anxiety as a group), the FMD cohort did not show any volumetric differences. Across patients with FMD, individual differences in symptom severity negatively correlated with right supramarginal and bilateral superior temporal gyri volumes. These findings remained significant adjusting for FMD subtype or antidepressant use, but did not remain statistically significant adjusting for depression and anxiety scores. Symptom severity-related structural alterations mapped onto regions with dense rsFC-identifying several disease epicenters in default mode, ventral attention, and salience networks.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports that FMD is a multinetwork disorder with an important role for the temporoparietal junction and its related connectivity in the pathophysiology of this condition. More research is needed to explore the intersection of functional neurological symptoms and mood.

Functional neurological disorder: new subtypes and shared mechanisms

Functional neurological disorder is common in neurological practice. A new approach to the positive diagnosis of this disorder focuses on recognisable patterns of genuinely experienced symptoms and signs that show variability within the same task and between different tasks over time. Psychological stressors are common risk factors for functional neurological disorder, but are often absent. Four entities-functional seizures, functional movement disorders, persistent perceptual postural dizziness, and functional cognitive disorder-show similarities in aetiology and pathophysiology and are variants of a disorder at the interface between neurology and psychiatry. All four entities have distinctive features and can be diagnosed with the support of clinical neurophysiological studies and other biomarkers. The pathophysiology of functional neurological disorder includes overactivity of the limbic system, the development of an internal symptom model as part of a predictive coding framework, and dysfunction of brain networks that gives movement the sense of voluntariness. Evidence supports tailored multidisciplinary treatment that can involve physical and psychological therapy approaches.

Neuromodulation for the treatment of functional neurological disorder and somatic symptom disorder: a systematic review

Functional neurological disorder and somatic symptom disorder are complex neuropsychiatric conditions that have been linked to circuit-based dysfunction of brain networks. Neuromodulation is a novel therapeutic strategy capable of modulating relevant brain networks, making it a promising potential candidate for the treatment of these patient populations. We conducted a systematic review of Medline, Embase and PsycINFO up to 4 March 2021. Trials investigating neuromodulation devices for the treatment of functional neurological disorder or somatic symptom disorder were selected. Extracted variables included study design, demographic and clinical characteristics, psychiatric comorbidity, neurostimulation protocols, clinical outcome measures and results. 404 studies were identified with 12 meeting inclusion criteria. 221 patients were treated in the included studies with mean study sample size of 18 (4-70). Five studies were randomised clinical trials. Functional motor symptoms (six weakness, four movement disorders) were the most studied subpopulations. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was the most frequently used device (10 studies), followed by electroconvulsive therapy (one study) and direct-current stimulation (one study). Treatment protocols varied in intended therapeutic mechanism(s): eight studies aimed to modulate underlying network dysfunction, five aimed to demonstrate movement (one also leveraged the former) and three boosted their primary mechanism with enhanced suggestion/expectation. All but one study reported positive results; however, methodological/outcome heterogeneity, mixed study quality and small sample sizes precluded quantitative meta-analysis. Neuromodulation, particularly TMS for the treatment of functional motor symptoms, shows preliminary promise in a growing line of research. Larger, sham-controlled studies are needed to further establish efficacy and better understand therapeutic mechanisms.

Distractibility predicts favourable response of functional tremor to transcranial magnetic stimulation: An electrophysiological study

BACKGROUND

Generation of functional tremor relies on the structures involved in the control of voluntary movements. The clinical diagnosis is based on the presence of "positive signs", which are expression of cognitive and motor distractibility and reflect functional tremor dependence on explicit motor control. In patients who manifest less distractibility, habitual (implicit) control may be of greater significance. Habitual behaviours are inflexible and difficult to eradicate.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate if motor and cognitive distractibility predicts response to treatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

METHODS

21 patients with functional tremor underwent 5-day repeated sessions of continuous theta burst stimulation over primary motor cortex. A battery of tests to provoke positive signs was performed during accelerometry recordings and the total functional tremor accelerometry score was calculated for each patient. Response to treatment was measured as change in tremor amplitude, expressed as total power of the spectra between 1 and 30 Hz.

RESULTS

On the group level, cTBS significantly changed postural tremor amplitude (Z = -1.9; p = 0.05), with the median decrease of 40%, IQR (-90-(+24)). There was a positive correlation between the functional tremor accelerometry score and reduction of postural tremor amplitude with treatment (r_s = -0.75, p < 10^-3). Responders had higher functional tremor accelerometry scores compared to non-responders (p = 0.001). The total functional tremor accelerometry score was a significant predictor of treatment response (OR = 2.8, p = 0.03; 95% CI 1.1; 7.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who are more distractible are better candidates for treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation. The likely explanation is the between-subjects differences on the reliance of functional tremor generation on explicit vs. implicit motor network.

We Move or Are We Moved? Unpicking the Origins of Voluntary Movements to Better Understand Semivoluntary Movements

The capacity for voluntary control is seen as essential to human movements; the sense that one intended to move (willing) and those actions were self-generated (self-agency) gives the sense of voluntariness and of being in control. While the mechanisms underlying voluntary movement have long been unclear, recent neuroscientific tools have identified networks of different brain areas, namely, the prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, and parietal cortex, that underlie voluntary action. Dysfunction in these brain areas can result in different forms of semivoluntary movement as the borderland of voluntary and involuntary movement where a person may experience a disordered sense of will or agency, and thus the movement is experienced as unexpected and involuntary, for an otherwise voluntary-appearing movement. Tics, functional movement disorders, stereotypies, perseveration, compulsions, utilization behaviors, and motor mannerism have been described elsewhere in the context of psychoses, and are often mistaken for each other. Yet, they reflect an impairment of prefrontal cortices and related circuits rather than simple motor systems, which results in the absence of subjective recognition of the movements, in contrast to other neurological movement disorders where principal abnormalities are located within the basal ganglia and its connections. Therefore, their recognition is clinically important since they are usually associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we first defined a conceptual framework, from both a neuroanatomical and a neurophysiological point of view, for the generation of voluntary movement. We then examined the evidence linking dysfunctions in different motor pathways to each type of movement disorder. We looked at common semivoluntary movement disorders providing an overview, where possible, of their phenomenology and brain network abnormalities for each condition. We also emphasized important clinical feature similarities and differences to increase recognition of each condition in practice.

Functional (psychogenic non-epileptic/dissociative) seizures: why and how?

Functional seizures (FS) known also as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures or dissociative seizures, present with ictal semiological manifestations, along with various comorbid neurological and psychological disorders. Terminology inconsistencies and discrepancies in nomenclatures of FS may reflect limitations in understanding the neuropsychiatric intricacies of this disorder. Psychological and neurobiological processes of FS are incompletely understood. Nevertheless, important advances have been made on underlying neuropsychopathophysiological mechanisms of FS. These advances provide valuable information about the underlying mechanisms of mind-body interactions. From this perspective, this narrative review summarises recent studies about aetiopathogenesis of FS at two levels: possible risk factors (why) and different aetiopathogenic models of FS (how). We divided possible risk factors for FS into three categories, namely neurobiological, psychological and cognitive risk factors. We also presented different models of FS based on psychological and neuroanatomical understanding, multilevel models and integrative understanding of FS. This work should help professionals to better understand current views on the multifactorial mechanisms involved in the development of FS. Shedding light on the different FS profiles in terms of aetiopathogenesis will help guide how best to direct therapy, based on these different underlying mechanisms.

Management of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND): Experience from a Swiss FND Clinic

Functional neurological disorder (FND) represent a common disorder with significant socio-economic impact. In this context and alongside recent new neuroscientific insights, FND attracts a growing interest both in clinical practice and academic activities. New international recommendation and expert opinions suggest that therapy of FND should be a tailored multidisciplinary management involving the neurologist, the physiotherapist, and in most cases the psychotherapist/psychiatrist. A first decisive step is the establishment of a definitive diagnosis, based on the presence of clinical positive signs during neurological assessment together with a clear communication and explanation of the diagnosis by the neurologist. A second important step is based on individual therapeutic sessions, involving different disciplines (neurology and psychotherapy or neurology and physiotherapy). Comorbidities, such as pain or fatigue and psychiatric comorbidities (anxiety, depression, dissociation etc.) should be carefully evaluated, as they need an individualized treatment path. New FND clinics have been created worldwide over the last decades to offer such multidisciplinary settings and this article will present the experience of a first Swiss FND clinic created in 2016. The aim is to highlight in the form of a narrative review the current literature supporting the usefulness and importance of FND clinics, by reviewing the latest evidence on multidisciplinary interventions in FND.

Neuroinflammation as a pathophysiological factor in the development and maintenance of functional seizures: A hypothesis

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Early-life stress may be a priming neuroinflammatory factor for later development of FS.

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Secondary trauma has emerged as an important predisposing factor for FS initiation.

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We propose an explanatory, two-hit hypothesis for FS development.

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The proposed hypothesis is based on findings from neuroimaging and biomarker studies.

The neurobiological underpinnings of functional seizure (FS) development and maintenance represent an active research area. Recent work has focused on hardware (brain structure) and software (brain function and connectivity). However, understanding whether FS are an adaptive consequence of changes in brain structure, function, and/or connectivity is important for identifying a causative mechanism and for FS treatment and prevention. Further, investigation must also uncover what causes these structural and functional phenomena. Pioneering work in the field of psychoneuroimmunology has established a strong, consistent link between psychopathology, immune dysfunction, and brain structure/function. Based on this and recent FS biomarker findings, we propose a new etiologic model of FS pathophysiology. We hypothesize that early-life stressors cause neuroinflammatory and neuroendocrine changes that prime the brain for later FS development following secondary trauma (e.g., traumatic brain injury or psychological trauma). This framework coalesces existing knowledge regarding brain aberrations underlying FS and established neurobiological theories on the pathophysiology of underlying psychiatric disorders. We also propose brain temperature mapping as a way of indirectly visualizing neuroinflammation in patients with FS, particularly in emotion regulation, fear processing, and sensory-motor integration circuits. We offer a foundation on which future research can be built, with clear recommendations for future studies.