Emotion processing in patients with functional symptoms
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Emotion processing in patients with functional symptoms.
IRAS ID
182844
Contact name
Markus Reuber
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
About 30% of neurology outpatient referrals are related to functional symptoms. Functional Neurological Symptoms (FNS) cause significant disability and distress. FNS look very much like medically explained neurological symptoms (e.g. seizure or paralysis) but they are not caused by any easily identifiable damage or disease of the brain or spinal cord. It is assumed that these symptoms are caused by emotional difficulties, but we do not yet really understand how this happens. The aim of this two-stage study, is therefore to test the idea that patients with FNS have greater difficulties with their emotions than healthy controls and also to explore whether different types of symptoms are associated with different kinds of emotional difficulty. Patients with FNS who are currently under the care of Consultant Neurologists at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital will be eligible. Healthy controls will be recruited via a university email list. The study procedures will be completed at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and the University of Sheffield Psychology Department.
Stage one, a questionnaire-based study should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete.
Stage two (psychological and physiological testing) will take no longer than one hour.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/YH/0196
Date of REC Opinion
31 May 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion