Treatment of Functional Neurological Disorders

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common condition characterized by involuntary neurological symptoms. The most common subtypes include functional/dissociative seizures and functional movement disorders, though other presentations such as persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and functional cognitive disorder are increasingly recognized. Patients may present with multiple types of functional neurological symptoms, and comorbid pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance are common and may substantially affect quality of life. Despite its high prevalence, FND has historically been neglected, and the prognosis remains poor in a substantial proportion of patients. This article provides an overview of current treatment options for FND, including physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, multidisciplinary approaches, and neuromodulation. Ongoing challenges including heterogeneous outcome measures, limited long-term follow-up data, the absence of validated biomarkers, and the need for expanded access to specialist care are also discussed.