Functional neurological disorder, more commonly referred to as FND, is a neurological condition which causes symptoms that can significantly interfere with a person’s daily life. FND is often confused with or misdiagnosed as epilepsy due to the similar nature of some symptoms.
While both conditions impact the brain, they do so in different ways.
The Mechanisms of Epilepsy and FND
While epilepsy-related seizures are caused by excessive or abnormal electrical activity in the brain, FND is a functional disruption of the brain’s networks, meaning the brain’s pathways don’t communicate with each other properly.
In people with FND, brain scans and other tests usually look normal, although a functional MRI (fMRI) might show abnormal brain network activity. However, for someone with epilepsy, doctors can often pinpoint seizure activity in an EEG or find structural problems in the brain using other types of scans.
It is possible for a person to be diagnosed with both epilepsy and functional neurological disorder, so understanding your symptoms, how they impact you and identifying patterns play an important part in diagnosis and treatment of both conditions.
Why Does FND Get Confused with Epilepsy?
The two main symptom groups of FND are functional motor disorders and dissociative attacks. The latter can cause events that may look like seizures but are not caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain like someone with epilepsy would experience.
Dissociative attacks often involve altered movements, sensations and states of consciousness and they used to be referred to as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) or pseudo-seizures. In order to prevent confusion among healthcare professionals and patients, we now refer to these events as dissociative attacks, to separate them from epileptic seizures.
The symptoms related to functional motor disorders can include limb weakness, tremor, dystonia (abnormal posturing), gait disorders or dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). Someone with FND may also experience chronic pain, fatigue, poor memory and concentration or sensory symptoms such as numbness or tingling.
How is FND Treated?
While the first treatment option explored for people with epilepsy is usually medication, FND is treated a bit differently. Medications might help with certain symptoms of FND but there is a high risk of making other symptoms worse.
It is recommended to have a multi-disciplinary approach to FND treatment. A combination of physical therapy, psychotherapy, occupational therapy or even speech pathology could be part of your individual treatment plan.
The first step is to talk to your doctor who will understand your specific symptoms and the impact they have on you.
Want to Find Out More?
For more information about functional neurological disorder, visit FND Australia or FND Australia Support Services.
If you think you might have functional neurological disorder, it’s important to talk to your doctor.
