Suggestibility as a valuable criterion for laboratory-supported definite functional movement disorders

Objective: To evaluate the application of suggestibility in electrophysiologic studies as a tool to increase the diagnostic certainty of “laboratory-supported definite” FMD. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electrophysiologic studies performed in our center on patients with FMD. Recordings w...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gerard Saranza, Daniel Vargas-Mendez, Anthony E. Lang, Robert Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
Series:Clinical Neurophysiology Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2467981X21000093
Description
Summary:Objective: To evaluate the application of suggestibility in electrophysiologic studies as a tool to increase the diagnostic certainty of “laboratory-supported definite” FMD. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electrophysiologic studies performed in our center on patients with FMD. Recordings where suggestibility was included in the test battery were then selected. Results: We present three cases with equivocal clinical features, but with findings on electrophysiologic studies that were consistent with “laboratory-supported definite” FMD. Conclusion: When combined with other tests, demonstration of suggestibility in electrophysiologic studies may increase the accuracy in differentiating functional from organic movement disorders. Significance: This case series is an essential first step in evaluating the applicability of suggestibility as an electrophysiologic criterion to aid in the diagnosis of FMD. Application in a larger cohort, incorporation in a test battery, and validation studies, including quantitative evaluation of suggestibility, are required to assess the reliability and the added value of this test.
ISSN:2467-981X