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The relationship between psychosocial trauma type and conversion (functional neurological) disorder symptoms: a
Shimaa K Morsy1,2, Daniela Huepe-Artigas3, Ahmed M Kamal2
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
Objective:
Psychosocial trauma was associated with developing conversion disorder (also known as functional neurological disorder) before Freud, though why a particular symptom should arise is unknown. We aimed to determine if there was a relationship between trauma type and symptom.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients attending Australia's first functional neurology clinic, including referral, clinic letters and a clinic questionnaire.
Results:
There were 106 females, 43 males and five transgender patients. Sensory (51%), motor (47%) and seizures (39%) were the commonest functional symptoms. Most patients (92%) reported stressors associated with symptom onset. Multiple trauma/symptom type associations were found: patients with in-law problems experienced more cognitive symptoms (p = .036), for example, while expressive speech problems more commonly followed relationship difficulties (p = .021).
Conclusion:
Associations were found between type of traumatic events and type of symptoms in conversion disorder. This will require verification in a larger sample.
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