Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) for psychogenic movement disorders

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Background:

• Psychogenic movement disorders (PMDs) significantly impair quality of life.
• Current medical therapies for PMDs are limited and often ineffective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as a treatment for patients with PMDs.
• To identify predictors of favorable outcomes in PMD patients receiving TENS.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 19 patients diagnosed with PMDs.
• Utilized the Psychogenic Movement Disorder Rating Scale (PMDRS) and patient-reported assessments.
• Assessed outcomes after a mean follow-up of 6.9 months.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in the PMDRS Severity score was observed.
• Shorter duration of PMD was the sole predictor of a positive treatment response.
• TENS demonstrated a favorable side-effect profile.

Conclusions:

• TENS can be an acceptable palliative treatment for a subset of patients with psychogenic movement disorders.
• The study highlights the potential of TENS despite challenges in conducting controlled trials due to sensory side effects.