Efficacy of brief interdisciplinary psychotherapeutic intervention for motor conversion disorder and nonepileptic attacks

Management of patients with functional neurological symptoms: a single-centre randomised controlled trial

“…From these studies, we may conclude that physiotherapy and some form of cognitive behavioural therapy are promising. A study of Hubschmid et al 17showed beneficial effects of a brief psychotherapeutic intervention in collaboration with neurology consultants. However, assessment of outcome was not blind and recorded by one of the therapists.…”

Functional neurological disorders: the neurological assessment as treatment

“…Cognitive-behavioural therapy was shown to be a promising treatment for patients with dissociative (non-epileptic) attacks in a randomised-controlled trial with a number needed to treat of 5, and there is a UK multicentre trial ongoing (http://www.codestrial.org). 47 Multidisciplinary care also now has some evidence base 48 51–53…”

Functional neurological disorders: mechanisms and treatment

“…Only 40 % of eligible patients agreed to participate and a further 35 % of randomised patients dropped out leaving only 15 patients in the trial. A RCT of the effect of liaison psychiatry input on patients with a wide spectrum of functional neurological disorders in 23 patients found promising results both on symptoms and hospital visits encouraging more research and investment in interdisciplinary working [73]. Finally, an RCT of brief (4 9 30 min) guided self-help based on CBT in 127 patients with a range of functional symptoms and disorders in a neurology outpatient setting showed benefits (odds ratio 2.4 for improved outcome p = 0.02) [74].…”