Functional neurologic disorders
Bringing the informal and hidden curriculum to light
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Functional neurologic disorders (FND) are among the most common conditions a neurologist will encounter. In 2014, after the publication of an updated Cochrane report on nonepileptic seizures (NES) concluded that there was little reliable evidence supporting any treatment modality, there was a call for further randomized controlled trials, highlighting the lack of priority given to the treatment of NES on the part of both psychiatrists and neurologists.1 Controversy exists about where patients with FND should “live” for their treatment, given a presentation that has symptoms in common with both psychiatric and neurologic disease.2 With current emphasis to rule in the diagnosis of a functional disorder, the expertise of a neurologist is needed to assess a neurologic examination and if possible to determine the non-neurologic nature of the presentation. Treatment, however, remains mainly in the hands of the psychiatrist with psychopharmacology and psychological therapies. There is growing evidence of the efficacy and feasibility of a multidisciplinary approach.3,4
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Funding information and disclosures are provided at the end of the article. Full disclosure form information provided by the authors is available with the full text of this article at Neurology.org/cp.
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- © 2019 American Academy of Neurology
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The Nerve!: Rapid online correspondence
- Reader response: Functional neurologic disorders: Bringing the informal and hidden curriculum to light
- Andrea M. Chau, Medical Student, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Submitted August 04, 2020 - Author response: Functional neurologic disorders: Bringing the informal and hidden curriculum to light
- Laura A. Strom, Neurologist - Epileptologist, University of Colorado
Submitted January 22, 2020 - Reader response: Functional neurologic disorders: Bringing the informal and hidden curriculum to light
- Nitin K. Sethi, Associate Professor of Neurology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY U.S.A.
Submitted January 02, 2020
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