[Functional neurological symptoms and the positive diagnostic process]

Ugeskr Laeger. 2018 Apr 23;180(17):V08170594.
[Article in Danish]

Abstract

Functional neurological symptoms are common in neurology and general medical practice. Functional neurological symptoms refer to neurological symptoms, which are not explained by a defined disease. The most common are functional weakness and non-epileptic seizures. Psychiatric models have dominated the classification, aetiology and treatment, limiting the neurologist's role to making the diagnosis by excluding disease and pronouncing the symptoms to be psychogenic. In this review, we outline the possibility of a positive diagnostic process, which can be the first step of treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Communication
  • Humans
  • Muscle Weakness / diagnosis
  • Muscle Weakness / therapy
  • Nervous System Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Nervous System Diseases* / therapy
  • Neurologic Examination / methods*
  • Patient Participation
  • Seizures / diagnosis
  • Seizures / therapy
  • Somatoform Disorders / diagnosis
  • Somatoform Disorders / therapy