Journal Article

Functional neurological disorder is a feminist issue

Tijssen, Marina AJ, Gardiner, Paula, Finkelstein, Sara, Morgante, Francesca, Stanton, Biba, Goldstein, Laura H, Alty, Jane, Linden, Stefanie Caroline, Ludwig, Lea, Hoeritzauer, Ingrid, Newby, Rachel, O’Neal, Mary, Petrochilos, Panayiota, Joyce, Eileen M, McWhirter, Laura, Dworetzky, Barbara A, O‘Sullivan, Suzanne, Laffan, Aoife, Gray, Cordelia, Mallam, Elizabeth, Pareés, Isabel, Bullock, Kim, Roelofs, Karin, McRae, Sarah, Jordbru, Anika, Cabreira, Verónica, Baker, Janet, McCormick, Maxanne, Bègue, Indrit, Chalder, Trudie, McLoughlin, Caoimhe, Adams, Caitlin, Ball, Harriet A, Pick, Susannah, Williams, Isobel, Nicholson, Clare, Phillips, Wendy, Tuttle, Margaret C, Voon, Valerie, Aybek, Selma, Huys, Anne-Catherine ML, Lidstone, Sarah C, Garcin, Béatrice, Gelauff, Jeannette, Maggio, Julie, Burness, Chrissie

2023

Overview

Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common and disabling disorder, often misunderstood by clinicians. Although viewed sceptically by some, FND is a diagnosis that can be made accurately, based on positive clinical signs, with clinical features that have remained stable for over 100 years. Despite some progress in the last decade, people with FND continue to suffer subtle and overt forms of discrimination by clinicians, researchers and the public. There is abundant evidence that disorders perceived as primarily affecting women are neglected in healthcare and medical research, and the course of FND mirrors this neglect. We outline the reasons why FND is a feminist issue, incorporating historical and contemporary clinical, research and social perspectives. We call for parity for FND in medical education, research and clinical service development so that people affected by FND can receive the care they need.

• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd,BMJ Publishing Group LTD,BMJ Publishing Group
• Subject: Biomedical Research / Chronic fatigue syndrome / Conversion Disorder / Curricula / Female / Feminism / functional neurological disorder / Gender / Humans / Migraine / Multiple sclerosis / Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis / Nervous System Diseases - epidemiology / Nervous System Diseases - therapy / Neurological disorders / Neuropsychiatry / Parkinson's disease / Sex discrimination / somatisation disorder / Stigma / Womens health