["Functional" disorders--from the viewpoint of the neurologist]

Patients with "functional" neurological diseases, i.e. suffering from nonorganic pseudo-neurological disorders, are common in neurological practice and account for a significant minority of neurological admissions. The nomenclature of these disorders is confusing and there is still no satisfactory system of classification. Many of these patients are misdiagnosed. The diagnostic problems and treatment of these disorders are illustrated by 4 case reports. Pathophysiologically the disorders are ill understood. Many of their bizarre features may serve as a means of nonverbal communication for these patients. Their management requires close collaboration between neurologists and psychiatrists. Behavioural therapy may be a more appropriate treatment for these disorders than classical analytic psychotherapy.