First of 2 great @thelancetpsych.bsky.social
articles on placebo/nocebo in psychiatry (& relevance to all of medicine) led by the brilliant @mattburkemd.bsky.social
This one on harnessing placebo & mitigating nocebo
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A pilot randomized controlled trial of prolonged exposure therapy vs. psychoeducation for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder - Epilepsy & Behavior. www.epilepsybehavior.com/article/S152...
The “Hallett Sign” - in honour of Mark Hallett (1943-2025)
movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
We have waited a long time for a robust clinical study of functional sensory symptoms and signs.
Congrats to @RoryHigginsPT and @GNielsen_Physio for leading this excellent study - detailed thread below
academic.oup.com/braincomms/a...
"Oxygen desaturation in patients with functional seizures: pitfalls for the unwary" - our new paper with Takamichi Kanbayashi and Kirsteen Brown in Practical Neurology
Free link here - bit.ly/465qEzk
pn.bmj.com/content/earl...
Findings in this @biologicalpsych.bsky.social CNNI paper are complementary to other results published using graph theory metrics in @braincomms.bsky.social.
Check out this 20 minute lecture by Christi Westlin that connects the two papers! 8/8
youtu.be/0Zjs-7lf6fA
academic.oup.com/braincomms/a...
I was asked by @braincomms to highlight their FND special collection which welcomes clinical and neuroscience research on every aspect of the condition.
A chance to reflect on how FND has moved from miscellaneous to mainstream
academic.oup.com/braincomms/a...
FND: an evolutionary perspective
A short piece exploring an evolutionary perspective, specifically survival responses, to FND.
These are not new ideas, but thank you to Akiriho Nishi for suggesting a short, standalone article to encourage wider debate
academic.oup.com/emph/article...
In 2025 - grateful that our Functional Neurological Disorder Unit & Research Group has diligently work across the 4 pillars of our mission: clinical care, program development, research & education. Making progress - with much more to do!
giving.massgeneral.org/donate?fnd=1...
@alancarson15.bsky.social @lauramcw.bsky.social @ihoeritz.bsky.social
At the year's end, our Edinburgh FND Research Group 2023-25 report.
A huge thank you to those who have given to us, and an update on what we've all been doing.
☑️ 2023-5 Report here - bit.ly/3KWEcpH
☑️ You can donate here - neurosymptoms.org/en/donate/
Thank you!
Great editorial on the challenges faced by those living with #FND on accessing rehabilitation services. The 2024 NAI Irish patient experience survey showed that 67% of adults with FND surveyed had never had access to neurorehabilitation services. This has to change, history does not stand still! 💚🧡
Very much agree with the points made here!
I especially appreciate how apprehension re: FND often flips into inspiration when clinicians see the tangible good they can do
Reclaiming FND for Rehabilitation Medicine – new open access editorial
Neurorehab colleague Phil Milburn-McNulty and I set out why Rehab Medicine is so well-suited to treating FND, why they historically haven’t and what can be done to change things.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
New @aanmember.bsky.social guidelines for the management of functional seizures led by Ben Tolchin. A landmark for people with FND worldwide.
✅Rigorous evidence-based process
✅Consensus practical recommendations
✅Endorsed by @fndsociety.bsky.social
www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/...
"Charcot Redux" - @ajlees.bsky.social has written a magisterial article on Charcot, which gives you something of the man and his context.
Essential for anyone needing an introduction
doi.org/10.1093/brai...
@HarvardMedicine have done a great job with this article on FND, focused on the contribution of colleagues working there, including Barbara Dworetzky, David Perez and alumnus Mark Hallett.
magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/fun...
An important study (IMO) looking at social dynamics re: FND on Twitter.
People w FND face continual attack by a variety of groups who dismiss our condition and experiences - ranging from abusive clinicians to other disabled people.
It makes it even harder to exist in public with this dx.
"A large proportion of the discourse around FND on X is shaped by users who are dismissive of the concept of FND and those associated with it...implications for individuals getting support for a condition that is already widely misunderstood."
www.jmir.org/2025/1/e73439
Some great clinical tips on managing FND- from someone who actually has it
🌎 Join the 1st Latin American Congress on Functional Neurological Disorders (FND)!
📅 Nov 20–22, 2025 | Lima, Peru | Hybrid
🎓 Includes Poster Call with international awards 🌍
🔗 Scan QR codes for registration & info
Our conclusions. @fndhope.bsky.social, FND action and @fndsociety.bsky.social
FND treatment is multidisciplinary, but there are barriers to care. Here are some thoughts on those. 5/
Physio for functional movement disorder has important differences to physio for other conditions in neurological practice
Thanks to Glenn Nielsen for this material . Workbooks and Therapist manuals from the Physio4FMD trial are free to download via www.physio4fmd.org/publications
4/
Dont just diagnose - formulate.
An example of a formulation based on Oliver Sacks autobiographical book 'A Leg to Stand on'. 3/
jnnp-bmj-com.eux.idm.oclc.org/content/83/9...
Some ideas for communication and explanation of functional movement disorder 2/
Pleased that "Continuum" the AAN journal asked for this article on the management of functional movement disorder - coauthored with @alancarson15.bsky.social
Article paywalled but podcast is free.
Some snippets in thread🧵
Article: continuum.aan.com/doi/full/10....
Podcast: x.com/ContinuumAAN....
Image description: A white and green poster for the FND Ireland Conference speakers. The text reads: "Meet Our Speakers: Dr. Caoimhe McLoughlin, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatrist Dr McLoughlin trained in Ireland in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, the branch of medicine that deals with conditions at the interface of body and mind. She was awarded a European Fellowship with the ETUDE program for Functional Disorders, which she recently completed in Edinburgh, under the supervision of Professors Jon Stone and Alan Carson. Her topic of study was Stigma in Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). FND Ireland Conference 2025 Date: Saturday 18th October, Location: Maldron Hotel Tallaght, Dublin." There is a headshot photo of Dr. McLoughlin in the top left of the poster. She is a person with dark hair and is wearing a yellow cardigan and black top. There is a green and orange graphic of a person's silhouette in the bottom right and a QR code to book tickets to the conference in bottom left
📢 Delighted to have Dr. Caoimhe McLoughlin speak at our
first #FNDIreland Conference on 'The Role of Neuropsychiatry in FND' and share her research on Stigma in #FND which she completed under the supervision of @jonstoneneuro.bsky.social and @alancarson15.bsky.social. 💚🧡
@fndportal.bsky.social
We can't be complacent. Most people with FND around the world still have terrible experiences of health care. But things are changing.. END.
bsky.app/profile/jons...