Session Information
Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Session Title: Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders, RLS, Sleep
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Objective: To systematically assess the psychiatric profile in functional jerky movement disorders.
Background: Less and less emphasis is currently placed on psychopathology in functional neurologic disorders. Moreover diagnostic criteria of functional movement disorders by Fahn and Williams have been modified leaving out psychological disturbance as a requirement for high diagnostic certainty. Still little is known on this topic. High rates of psychiatric disorders, childhood abuse and physical neglect have previously been reported in functional movement disorders [1,2]. However these numbers are based on heterogeneous patient groups. To gain more insight in the role of psychiatric symptoms in functional movement disorders we designed a study comparing patients with functional jerks to healthy control subjects.
Methods: Psychiatric assessment addressed qualitative measures obtained from psychiatric interviews (according to the diagnostic statistical manual (DSM-IV)) as well as self-administrated and interview-based quantitative measures.
Results: Study population consisted of 50 patients with functional jerks compared to 42 healthy control subjects. In total 76% of patients had at least one psychiatric disorder versus 14% of healthy controls. Anxiety disorders were found in 54% of patients compared to 12% controls. A life-time depressive disorder was found in 40% of patients (vs. 5% controls). Further quantitative measures showed significantly higher scores of depression and anxiety compared to controls.
Conclusions: Evident higher rates of psychiatric disorders were found in patients with functionaliteit jerky moverend disorder compared to healthy controls with anxiety and depression being most prevalent. 1. Kranick SM, Gorrindo T, Hallett M. Psychogenic Movement Disorders and Motor Conversion: A Roadmap for Collaboration Between Neurology and Psychiatry. Psychosomatics 2011;52. 2. Feinstein A, Stergiopoulos V, Fine J, Lang AE. Psychiatric outcome in patients with a psychogenic movement disorder: a prospective study. Neuropsychiatry Neuropsychol Behav Neurol 2001;14:169-76.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Y.E.M. Dreissen, T.J. van Trier, J.M. Dijk, D.C. Cath, M.A.J. Tijssen. Psychiatric profile in functional (psychogenic) jerky movement disorders [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/psychiatric-profile-in-functional-psychogenic-jerky-movement-disorders/. Accessed May 15, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/psychiatric-profile-in-functional-psychogenic-jerky-movement-disorders/