Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) - articles, social media and discussion

Reminds me of a quote from Frances Allen from twitter about FND where he says it's to easy for Neurologist to dish out a quick FND diagnosis and blame psych issues rather than to find the real diagnosis.
He also is implying that many Neurologists have a lackluster diagnostic ability and biases towards a psych diagnosis rather than a true biological diagnosis.

 

This guy?

 

So Long Covid Support have opened up a research involvement consultancy. It's details can be seen in the link. But they've quoted psychiatrist Dr Tim Nicholson in some of their images. This seems a bit confusing as he's basically an FND specialist, part of FND hope. He's a key player at Kings and the Maudsley. They've obviously worked together and he's an advisor. Why would they connect with an FND specialist?

https://www.longcovid.org/research/research-involvement-consultancy

 

Experience: ‘I woke up with a Welsh accent’

"I kept my Kent accent through my adult life. Then in 2022, I developed functional neurological disorder (FND), a condition that disrupts how the brain communicates with the body. It caused mobility issues and seizures, but I would also sometimes develop a temporary vocal tic or slurred speech. So it didn’t come as a huge surprise when, one day in June 2023, I woke up and my voice sounded different."

...

"I’ve since spoken with a professor of neurology, who believes my brain has probably triggered the accent as a way of dealing with my FND. The specific way it controls the muscles in my face makes my accent manifest as Welsh – it’s all to do with how your tongue and mouth move. I don’t have nearly as many problems with slurred speech since my accent changed – somehow this is just easier for my brain. Though when my speech stars slurring again, my accent temporarily returns to my old English one."

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...y/24/experience-i-woke-up-with-a-welsh-accent

 

It is not completely unusual for someone following a CVA or head injury to develop a different accent. If the neurologist actually said that the brain somehow founded it easier to cope with an FND by speaking in a ‘Welsh’ accent it hardly inspires confidence in his scientific rigour.

 

Perhaps PWME should try speaking with a Welsh Accent:

'Cariad. Sto-op, Look you.' perhaps.

It could deal with the ME/CFS very well.

I can see that it is nice to have an explanation but maybe the brain didn't actually know why it was using a Welsh Accent? Maybe the professor didn't know either?

It's as if FND is a Freedom Pass for neurologists conning people.

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1796340703079092349

 

<Grabs popcorn>

 

Evidence that it's psychological: file not found

 

Or maybe it's missing in action.

 

I'm hoping to start talking like a Nac Mac Feegle if I fall off my ebike and hurt my head. You heard it here first.

 

if only we had their tenacity for battle at every opportunity .Terry Pratchett was a wonderful writer with many levels to his story telling .

 

A total non sequitur, but though struggling to remember the full details, some forty plus years ago there was a Scottish writer trying to spearhead a revival of Celtic/Pictish pagan spirituality. He used to lead woodland expeditions at night for people to identify their spirit guides. I did know someone who went along to such an event, but when I asked him about his spirit guide he replied that it was a moonless night, he tripped, broke his leg and ended up in hospital well before any spirits manifested.

One of this writer’s lines that stuck in my mind was that ‘not all fairies were pretty dainty little winged creature but some were big and hairy, distinctly dangerous and dressed in leather’. I can’t be certain now that my memory hasn’t added in the ‘dressed in leather’ for narrative effect, it was a bit Tom of Finland meets the Little Folk.. However I did wonder when I later read of the Nac Mac Feegle if Terry Pratchett was familiar with the work of this Caledonian visionary.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06...smissed-doctors-myth-virus-harmless/103959078

Now aged 13, Jack was a fit and talented athlete whose life revolved around sports, especially cricket, rugby and tennis. It's a major reason his father Brett* was so shocked when, during one of their visits to the hospital, a neurologist performed a few reflex tests on Jack, concluded his nerves were fine, then announced his symptoms were psychological.

"He said, 'Listen, it's all in your son's head, he has something called FND — functional neurological disorder'," says Brett. "I said, 'Is that psychosomatic?' and he said, 'Well, we don't call it that anymore'." Brett now knows that FND is a controversial diagnosis that should only be made after excluding other possible medical conditions. Numerous long COVID patients have reported being misdiagnosed with FND — a precarious situation, experts say, because it can block their access to testing and treatment. But Jack was devastated. "He was crying because he's the kid who goes to rugby with a migraine … he'll push through anything," Brett says. "So for the neurologist to say … it was all in his head, I think that broke him a bit."

 

There seems to have been a noticeable extension of " reach" in FND diagnoses recently to existing defined conditions .
There have been a fair amount of tweets batting back and forth .
POTS seems to be a favourite at moment

https://twitter.com/user/status/1805981601580376242


Let me help clarify this debate/confusion/anecdotes... I'll be brief because I am not confused. POTS IS NOT FND. There is no debate and no elaborate formulations needed. I am always happy to explain the pathophysiology of #POTS and other autonomic disorders to physicians.