Understanding the gap: How much do healthcare professionals know about functional neurological disorders?

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) presents with neurological symptoms without structural abnormalities, often leading to underdiagnosis and disability.
• FND is a common neurological referral, yet awareness and appropriate management remain challenging globally and in Morocco.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of Moroccan healthcare professionals regarding Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).
• To identify common misconceptions about FND among physicians in Morocco.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 127 physicians in Morocco.
• Snowball sampling via social media and WhatsApp was used to distribute the anonymous questionnaire.

Main Results:

• 22% of participants had no prior knowledge of FND, and 61% lacked formal training.
• Widespread misconceptions included associating FND with hysteria (18%), viewing it as purely psychological (29%), and unawareness of pathophysiology (10%).
• Only 4% recognized positive diagnostic signs, with 67% viewing FND as a diagnosis of exclusion, indicating significant diagnostic gaps.

Conclusions:

• There is an urgent need for educational interventions to address FND misconceptions among Moroccan healthcare professionals.
• Improving FND knowledge can enhance diagnostic accuracy, patient care, and reduce the condition's socioeconomic burden in Morocco.