Prevalence and Clinical Presentation of Functional Neurological Disorders in Patients With Movement Disorders - A Cross-sectional Study in the Movement Disorders Clinic of the Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz

Functional neurological disorders (FND) are common neurological disorders that are present in up to 16% of patients in neurological outpatient clinics. They are associated with a significant reduction in quality of life, can lead to permanent impairment, and have a poor prognosis, especially if the diagnosis is delayed.

FND have multifactorial causes and risk factors, including psychological stressors, childhood trauma, female gender, psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder, and other functional disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic pain syndrome. Patients with FND often report additional cognitive complaints ("cognitive fog").

A mismatch of various regulatory mechanisms, a disruption of sensory processing and motor output is assumed to be a central part of the pathogenesis. A characteristic feature of FND is a variability of symptoms according to attention. FND can be intensified by increased attention and weakened by distraction. Positive diagnostic criteria for FND have been established recently, so that by definition FND are no longer a diagnosis of exclusion.

The clinical presentations of FND are diverse and include impaired limb movement control, disturbances in vigilance that may be associated with seizures, and non-motor symptoms. FND often coincide and often coexist with pain, fatigue, sleep disorders, and cognitive disorders. Particularly non-motor functional symptoms are highly debilitating for patients.

The coincidence of "organic" neurological disorders and FND in the same patients ("functional overlay") is probably not uncommon, but has been investigated primarily in patients with Parkinson's Disease and epilepsy, so far. However, it is important to recognize FND in patients with movement disorders in order to treat them adequately and to protect them from incorrect treatment (surgery, unnecessary medication, etc.). However, the basic prerequisite for this is an exploration of the frequency and characteristics of the functional symptoms in movement disorders.