SynthesisJournal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry2025
Incidence and prevalence of functional neurological disorder: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 49 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
49 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Functional visual loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology, prognosis and treatment.Eye (London, England) · 2026Pooled it
- Systematic review of movement disorders mislabeled as functional: when incongruence misleads.Journal of neurology · 2026Pooled it
- Treatment of functional neurological disorder: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Journal of neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Nocebo Hypothesis Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (Motor Type): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society · 2025Trial
- Providing trauma-informed neurological care across clinical settings.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2026Article
- Unmet needs in functional neurological disorder related to digital healthcare.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2026Review
- The economic burden of functional neurological disorder.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2026Review
- Investigating mechanisms and monitoring outcomes in functional neurological disorder: the unrealized potential of digital remote monitoring technologies.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2026Review
- Education Research: Case-Based and Near-Peer Teaching on Functional Neurologic Disorder in the Neurology Clerkship: A Cross-Site Comparative Pilot Study.Neurology. Education · 2026Article
- Diagnostic Agreement and 1-Year Outcomes in Functional Neurological Disorder Following Neuroscience-Informed Assessment, Education, and Counseling: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- A service evaluation of the recognition, care and management of functional seizures within a UK ambulance service.British paramedic journal · 2026Article
- Disability, distress and delayed access to care in functional neurological disorder: cross-sectional study from an Australian tertiary clinic.BJPsych open · 2026Article
- Personality Disorders in Functional and Idiopathic Dystonia.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Pain in Functional Motor Disorders: Clinical Correlates From the Italian Registry.European journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Functional Connectivity Gradients Reveal Altered Hierarchical Cortical Organization in Functional Neurological Disorder.Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging · 2026Article
- Shoulder Rotation Test: A New Test for Discriminating Between Functional and Structural Weakness.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- The Medicolegal Implications of Functional Neurological Disorder.Seminars in neurology · 2026Review
- Developmental trauma in functional motor disorder: the mediating roles of affective symptoms and multimorbidity.Psychological medicine · 2026Article
- Role of Pentacyclic Triterpenes in the Management of Neurological Disorders: An Insight into Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRobust epidemiological data regarding population incidence and prevalence of functional neurological disorder (FND) would be helpful with regards to resource allocation and planning for this disorder, particularly given high symptom burden and high healthcare utilisation. We therefore aimed to systematically review and synthesise available data on FND incidence and prevalence.
methodsPubMed was searched to identify original research articles that reported on the incidence or prevalence of FND. Risk of bias assessment for each study was conducted. Incidence and prevalence rates of FND were additionally estimated by extrapolating data from low risk of bias studies on functional seizures alone.
resultsThirty-nine articles were included. Nineteen reported on FND incidence, 21 reported on prevalence. Comparison between studies was difficult due to methodological differences and significant heterogeneity of incidence and prevalence estimates was found. The incidence of FND was estimated at 10-22/100 000, while minimum prevalence of FND was estimated at 80-140/100 000, with a possible range of 50-1600/100 000. Incidence of paediatric FND was estimated to be between 1 and 18/100 000.
conclusionsThe range of incidence and prevalence varies widely across studies, with significant heterogeneity among studies and most studies likely provide underestimates due to methodological challenges. However, using our best method as a conservative estimate, there are likely a minimum of 50-100 000 people with FND in the UK, as an example country. Given that FND appears to be more prevalent than many other well-known and well-funded neurological disorders, incidence and prevalence data suggested here indicate the need for greater research and clinical funding allocation to FND programmes.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.