Functional Neurological Disorders

Clinical study of disorders of nervous system function that are not caused by brain disease.

Functional disorders are one of the commonest reason for patients to see a neurologist. They include problems such as dissociative (non-epileptic) seizures, functional movement disorders (such as tremors, spasms or jerks) and functional limb weakness.

Functional Neurological Disorders (sometimes abbreviated to FND) are genuine and often disabling. They relate to a disorder of nervous system functioning but not brain disease.

The Edinburgh team carries out clinical research on a wide range of functional disorders, looking at how common they are, why and how they happen and trialling physical and psychological treatments.

For more information see the Functional Disorders page on the main Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences website.

Example projects

Project title Funder Investigator(s)

Encompassing Training in fUnctional Disorders across Europe (ETUDE), University of Groningen-led. Two early-stage researchers undertaking projects as follows:

  • Treatment for FD patients with functional cognitive symptoms
  • Online and offline stigma for FD in the general population: occurrence and interventions
EU (H2020 Marie Curie Innovative Training Network) Jon Stone, Alan Carson

Physio4FMD (A randomised controlled trial of specialist physiotherapy for Functional Motor Disorder), St George's London-led

NIHR Jon Stone, Alan Carson
CODES (Cognitive behavioural therapy vs standard medical care for adults with Dissociative non-Epileptic Seizures: a multicentre randomised controlled trial), King's College London-led

 

NIHR Jon Stone, Alan Carson