Passive Thoughts in Functional Movement Disorders

Functional movement disorders (FMD) involve unusual movements or walking difficulties that are not caused by a specific brain or nerve injury. Passive thoughts are those that occur spontaneously, and often repetitively. They are different from active thoughts, which are purposeful and intentional, such as those required for tasks like making a cup of coffee or catching a bus. This concept can be paralleled with body movements. Active movements are voluntary and purposeful, while involuntary movements can be seen as passive, arising spontaneously and not under voluntary control.

The study aims to explore whether individuals with functional movement disorders experience a higher frequency of passive thoughts compared to normal healthy individuals. A structured questionnaire focused on passive thoughts will be administered to patients with functional movement disorders and to healthy controls.