Functional Neurologic Disorder

Functional neurologic disorder (FND) is the second most common diagnosis in neurology clinics after headaches. Patients experience symptoms linked to abnormal nerve function (see below). However, there is no known disease of or damage to the nerves or brain that is responsible.

The symptoms are entirely real and can include:

• Muscle weakness or paralysis

• Blackouts or non-epileptic seizures/attacks

• Movement disorders including tremors (shaking), muscle spasms and jerky movements.

• Loss of vision or double vision.

• Speech symptoms including dysphonia (whispering or hoarse speech), slurring or stuttering.

• Disturbance of skin sensation such as hemisensory syndrome (altered sensation down one side of the body)

• Dizziness and balance problems

The most likely explanation for FND is that there are changes in key circuits in the brain.

Why would the brain have this?

Nearly always, one or more types of stress is involved even if this is not fully recognized at first.  These include:

1. Adverse Childhood Experiences and their long-term impact including:

   a. Stressful personality traits such as focusing too much on the needs of others, excessive self-criticism, perfectionism, lack of assertiveness and many others.

   b. Unrecognized negative emotions such as anger, fear, shame, grief, or guilt.

   c. Triggers including people, situations or events that remind you of stressful situations.

2. Current life stresses

3. Depression, Anxiety or Post-Traumatic Stress

The good news is that all these sources of stress can be successfully diagnosed and treated.

To learn more about whether you might have these issues, try taking the self-diagnostic quiz below. It has 12 ‘Yes or No’ questions. The more questions to which you answer ‘Yes’, the more likely it is that the resources on this website will help you.