Inpatient treatment for functional neurologic disorders

Handb Clin Neurol. 2016:139:631-641. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-801772-2.00051-5.

Abstract

Patients with functional neurologic disorders present to clinicians with a variety of symptomatic manifestations, with various levels of severity, chronicity, and comorbidity, as well as with various degrees of past adversity, intrinsic resilience, and available external support. Clearly, treatment must be individualized. For those patients who have been severely or chronically impaired, especially if adequate prior outpatient treatments have failed, inpatient treatment that integrates the various modalities outlined here provides a rational route of rescue from a course otherwise potentially characterized by protracted dependence and disability. Based on the data currently available, we believe this treatment approach is worthy of further study to refine the component treatment strategies and enhance the potentially most effective ingredients. For patients with severe levels of disability, who could be managed in a multimodal day-treatment program, that approach also warrants further consideration.

Keywords: Conversion disorder; Day treatment programs; Functional neurological disorder; Inpatient treatment; Psychogenic movement disorder; Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures; psychogenic.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Conversion Disorder / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Inpatients
  • Nervous System Diseases / psychology*
  • Nervous System Diseases / therapy*
  • Psychological Techniques*
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / therapy*