Examining functional neurological symptom disorder in Maltese individuals

Abstract

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FNSD) is an umbrella term used to describe neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by organic causes. The aetiology of this disorder remains poorly understood, whilst its prevalence unknown. Together with neurological symptoms, individuals with FNSD have been reported to experience cognitive and emotional difficulties. Such difficulties have a deleterious effect on the disorder’s course and prognosis. This study examined the cognitive and emotional functioning as experienced by Maltese individuals diagnosed with FNSD by comparing them to two control groups matched for sex, age, and educational level (group of individuals diagnosed with a neurological condition and a non-clinical group) using a quantitative study design. Neuropsychological assessments assessing memory, executive function, language, visuospatial/ constructional, and attention, a mood questionnaire, a quality-of-life questionnaire, and a clinical presentation and demographic information questionnaire were administered to a total of 30 participants (males, n = 6; females, n = 24). Group comparisons were conducted using parametric or non-parametric statistics, as deemed appropriate. The results showed that the FNSD group performed worse than the two control groups on delayed memory, language, and visuospatial/ constructional domains. The attention domain was only statistically significant when compared to the non-clinical group. Other comparisons between the two groups revealed that the FNSD group had higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and a lower quality of life. The findings support previous studies indicating that FNSD has significant consequences on the individuals diagnosed and thus should be treated using a holistic approach. Given that this was the first local study of its kind, further studies are recommended using a larger sample size and a longitudinal approach in order to identify and establish patterns of treatment over time.