Lessons from a Neurologist After 25 Years of Functional Neurological Disorder Subspeciality Practice

Abstract

The idea that a neurologist would do an 'FND clinic' or that functional neurological disorder (FND) could be a subspecialty of neurology would have been outlandish even 20 years ago but has become a reality in many places around the world. In this personal review, I reflect on 25 years of being a neurologist with an interest in FND, initially as a research fellow and later as a consultant/attending. I review lessons from diagnosis and management in the hope that they may assist other neurologists embarking on a similar career as well as other health professionals whose roles overlap.

Keywords: Conversion disorder; Diagnosis; Functional neurological disorder; Lessons; Management; Misdiagnosis; Neurology.