Investigating causes and mechanisms in Functional Neurological Disorder.
Study code
NBR236
Lead researcher
Dr Susannah Pick
Study type
Online
Institution or company
King’s College London
Researcher type
Academic
Speciality area
Neurological Disorders
Summary
Functional Neurological Disorder is an illness in which neurological symptoms (e.g., seizures, movement, sensory) occur in the absence of clear damage to the nervous system. Instead, Functional Neurological Disorder symptoms seem to arise from differences in how the brain processes information about the rest of the body, resulting from a variety of biological, psychological and social risk factors which differ between individuals. More research is needed to specify the precise biological and psychological processes underlying Functional Neurological Disorder, and how these might relate to particular risk factors.
This research will investigate risk factors, triggers and underlying processes in adults with Functional Neurological Disorder with either functional motor symptoms or functional seizures . Patients will be recruited from local NHS neurology/neuropsychiatry services and through Functional Neurological Disorder patient support organisations.
We will compare the functional motor symptoms and functional seizures to two ‘control’ groups who are either healthy (i.e., no physical or mental health diagnoses) or who experience common mental health symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression), recruited from the GLAD study cohort and the local community.
Participants will be invited to complete a range of activities, as follows:
1. An in-depth interview and online questionnaire pack, to assess a range of possible background risk factors including mental and physical health symptoms, bodily and emotional awareness, and illness-related beliefs and behaviours.
2. A laboratory research session, to assess relevant cognitive functions (e.g., memory, attention, problem-solving, bodily awareness) and bodily processes (e.g., heart rate).
3. A brain scan, to measure the structure and functioning of different parts of the brain.
4. A remote follow-up involving questionnaires delivered with a smartphone app and a wearable device, to measure daily experiences, aspects of physical functioning and possible symptoms triggers in everyday life.
The research is funded by the Medical Research Council (Career Development Award, SP) and the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre. The project will be carried out from December 2024 to December 2026.