Clinical Practice (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, knowledge translation/EBP, implementation science, program development)

Neuroplasticity (includes neuroscience)

Cross-Cutting

Special Symposium

(576653) SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM: Rehabilitation of Functional Neurological Disorders

Presenter(s)

• 

  Victor Mark, MD

  Associate Professor
  University of Alabama at Birmingham
  Birmingham, Alabama
• 

  David Perez, MD, MMSc

  Assistant Professor of Neurology
  Massachusetts General Hospital
  Boston, Massachusetts
• 

  Kathrin LaFaver, MD, FAAN

  Associate Professor of Neurology
  Northwestern University
  Chicago, Illinois

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a common but undertreated and widely misunderstood disabling illness. However, recent research has suggested the combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and symptom-oriented physical rehabilitation may be efficacious. This Special Symposium will begin by reviewing the historical background and neuroscientific evidence of disease mechanisms of FND. Next, we will describe the structure of an FND clinic. This will detail the rehabilitation physician’s role for assessing for possible FND, ruling out false-positive diagnoses, and presenting and explaining the diagnosis. Finally, the role of CBT coupled with physical rehabilitation and recent clinical study outcomes will be reviewed.

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion, participants will understand the historical background on the models and management of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), alternate terms, and the current understanding of brain-behavior relationships in FND.
• Upon completion, participants will understand the physician’s evaluation for possible FND, excluding false-positive diagnoses, common findings on examination, and presenting and explaining the diagnosis to the patient, family, and clinicians.
• Upon completion, participants will understand how to set up a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for FND and learn about treatment outcomes.