Using evidence-based psychotherapy to tailor treatment for patients with FND

LORNA, MYERS; MERCEDES, SARUDIANSKY; GUIDO, KORMAN; GASTON, BASLET

Epilepsy & Behavior Reports

Elsevier

Lugar: New York; Año: 2021 vol. 16

2589-9864

Functional neurological disorder (FND) frequently presents with comorbid psychopathology (e.g., anxi-ety, depressive, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), somatic symptom and pain syndromes, and dis-sociative and personality disorders). It can become chronic and lead to unemployment and disability formany patients. Psychosocial factors play an important role in the onset and perpetuation of symptoms.Consequently, psychotherapy is recommended for the treatment of FND in general, and especially forthe single symptom-based subtype of functional seizures (FS). Some of the psychotherapy approachesthat have been utilized for FND include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), third wave approaches,and psychodynamic psychotherapies as well as group therapeutic and psychoeducational interventions.For patients with FS and PTSD, prolonged exposure therapy, a CBT-based treatment has been imple-mented. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe and analyze specific elements (e.g., theoreticalfoundations, tools, targets, definitions of success) of the main psychotherapeutic approaches used inpatients with FND. Our premise is that these modalities will overlap considerably in some respects.We will conclude by discussing how discrete differences may render them more suitable for subgroupsof patients with FND or for patients at different timepoints of their recovery process.