Functional Movement Disorders

This chapter delves into the complexity of functional movement disorders (FMD), on the border-zone of neurology and psychiatry. Transitioning from the historical terminology of “hysteria” to embracing the modern term “FMD,” management, diagnostic approaches, and terminologies have evolved significantly. The pivotal shift towards diagnosing FMD by inclusion rather than exclusion is highlighted, emphasizing the crucial role of expert movement disorder neurologists in identifying inconsistencies and incongruities. Crucially, patients with FMD stand apart from attention-seeking behaviors and malingering, while frequently have psychiatric comorbidities. The chapter debunks various myths surrounding FMD and explores a novel approach to the phenomenology of FMD classification. Veering away from the conventional hyper- and hypokinetic classification, it focuses on using the patient’s terminology to classify movements into categories including jerks, shaking, spasms, and slowness.