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.

Work difficulties, work restrictions, and disability benefits in people with functional seizures: A survey study.

Purpose: Functional seizures (FS) cause significant long-term disability and clinicians offer differing views on proper work restrictions and qualifications for disability benefits in this population. We assess the views and perspectives of experienced disability and work limitations in people living with functional seizures.

Methods: Between (4/29/2020-1/13/2021) an open-access 21-item internet survey was conducted via FNDHope.

How to do things with words: Two seminars on the naming of functional (psychogenic, non-epileptic, dissociative, conversion, …) seizures.

Amongst the most important conditions in the differential diagnosis of epilepsy is the one that manifests as paroxysms of altered behaviour, awareness, sensation or sense of bodily control in ways that often resemble epileptic seizures, but without the abnormal excessive or synchronous electrical activity in the brain that defines these. Despite this importance, there remains little agreement - and frequent debate - on what to call this condition, known inter alia as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), dissociative seizures (DS), functional seizures (FS), non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD), pseudoseizures, conversion disorder with seizures, and by many other labels besides. This choice of terminology is not merely academic - it affects patients' response to and understanding of their diagnosis, and their ability to navigate health care systems.

International online survey of 1048 individuals with functional neurological disorder.

Background And Purpose: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is common, and symptoms can be severe. There have been no international large-scale studies of patient experiences of FND.

Methods: A patient questionnaire was created to assess FND patient characteristics, symptom comorbidities and illness perceptions.

Stigma and functional neurological disorder: a research agenda targeting the clinical encounter.

Stigma against patients with functional neurological disorder (FND) presents obstacles to diagnosis, treatment, and research. The lack of biomarkers and the potential for symptoms to be misunderstood, invalidated, or dismissed can leave patients, families, and healthcare professionals at a loss. Stigma exacerbates suffering and unmet needs of patients and families, and can result in poor clinical management and prolonged, repetitive use of healthcare resources.

Terminology for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Making the case for "functional seizures".

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to review the literature on the terminologies for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) and make a proposal on the terminology of this condition. This proposal reflects the authors' own opinions.

Methods: We systematically searched MEDLINE (accessed from PubMed) and EMBASE from inception to October 10, 2019 for articles written in English with a main focus on PNES (with or without discussion of other functional neurological disorders) and which either proposed or discussed the accuracy or appropriateness of PNES terminologies.

Outcome Measures for Functional Neurological Disorder: A Review of the Theoretical Complexities.

The development and selection of optimal outcome measures is increasingly recognized as a key component of evidence-based medicine, particularly the need for the development of a standardized set of measures for use in clinical trials. This process is particularly complex for functional neurological disorder (FND) for several reasons. FND can present with a wide range of symptoms that resemble the full spectrum of other neurological disorders.