Clinical Trial: The Pathophysiology of Functional Neurological Disorders

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: The Pathophysiology of Functional Neurological Disorders

Brief Summary:

Functional disorders, also called psychogenic or psychosomatic are very common, disabling and their costs to society are immense.

Functional movement disorders are abnormal, involuntary movements, that are illogical in terms of classic neurology. Intriguingly, they typically manifest when patients pay attention to them and disappear with distraction.

The investigators aim to further the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying functional neurological disorders in order to improve treatment. In particular they aim to understand the effect of attention on movement in general, on functional neurological mechanisms and on the sense of agency (of subjective control) over a movement.

Patients with a functional neurological disorder, patients with an organic neurological disorder and healthy participants will perform simple tasks, such as reaching to a target, while additional tasks will manipulate their attention. The effects of these attentional manipulations will be analysed on several levels: movement performance, analysed by the kinematics and electromyography (EMG), psychophysical measures, such as the sense of agency, and the neural correlates with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

If the hypothesis turns out to be true, then changing the attentional focus could be used as a treatment in functional neurological disorders.

Detailed Summary:
Sponsor: University College, London

Current Primary Outcome: Tremor severity, assessed by kinematics, under different attentional conditions [ Time Frame: 1 year ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

• Sense of agency, assessed by intentional binding, under different attentional conditions [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
• Neural activation patterns under different attentional conditions, assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging [ Time Frame: 3 years ]
  Regarding the safety issues: As for any other MRI scanning, you cannot participate in this part of the study if you have any metallic implants or certain implanted medical devices.

Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: University College, London

Dates:
Date Received: September 2, 2016
Date Started: September 2016
Date Completion: September 2019
Last Updated: September 13, 2016
Last Verified: September 2016