Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Background:
Psychogenic movement disorders are movement disorders that are the result of a psychiatric rather than a primary neurological disorder. Some authors prefer the term 'functional movement disorder'.
Aim:
To discuss the nosology, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of psychogenic movement disorders.
Method:
We discuss recent, selected literature.
Results:
Patients with psychogenic movement disorders have debilitating symptoms that can lead to long-term disability. Often such patients are diagnosed with 'conversion disorder'. There is evidence that stress can interfere with motor functioning by affecting centres that are involved in planning and action monitoring. These patients need structured and multidisciplinary treatment supported by neurological and psychiatric follow-up. Cognitive behavioral therapy and low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation have a limited effect.
Conclusion:
Psychogenic movement disorders and conversion disorders have features in common. There is evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy has beneficial effects, but the prognosis remains poor.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes...
Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
Parkinson Disease l: Introduction
Alterations in Muscle Tone ll
Disorders of the Nervous Tissue
Homeostatic Imbalances:
Alzheimer's disease manifests as a gradual decline in memory and cognitive abilities, attributed to the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.
Parkinson's disease arises from the...
Equilibrium and Balance

