EMDR for Functional Neurological Disorder and trauma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
EMDR for Functional Neurological Disorder and trauma: an investigation using a single-case experimental design
IRAS ID
278186
Contact name
Tanya Suhalitka
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Chruch University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
Function Neurological Disorder (FND) is an umbrella term for medically unexplained neurological difficulties including muscle weakness, speech impairment and non-epileptic seizures. FND is a common presentation in neurology clinics, and often causes as much disability as organic neurological conditions.
For a long time, FND was thought to be a result of psychological trauma. Recently however, neuroscientific studies point towards brain activity and connectivity issues as a possible explanation. The concept of the psychological-becoming-physical however, hasn’t been fully discarded. In fact, current interdisciplinary agreement is that psychological trauma is a key risk factor for FND.
Here, ‘trauma’ is used broadly to encompass different kinds of stressful and adverse experiences. The connection between trauma and FND is a long-standing one, with trauma reported eight times higher in people with FND than healthy controls and twice as high as those with organic neurological conditions. Given this, researchers posit that for some people, FND might be the result of unresolved trauma, which, when attended to might alleviate the symptoms of FND. If so, trauma-focussed psychological therapy might be an important treatment consideration that warrants further investigation.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a short-term, trauma-focused approach that targets key memories from traumatic events that are associated with psychological distress. There are few small uncontrolled studies that point to effectiveness of EMDR for FND, and this project hopes to add to the growing evidence base.
Nine people with FND and a history of trauma will be invited to take part in the study from the East Kent Neuropsychiatry Service where they are waiting to receive EMDR therapy. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of EMDR in reducing FND symptoms and improving daily functioning.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0543
Date of REC Opinion
29 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion