Functional Somatosensory Symptoms - Assessment, Diagnosis & Treatment

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for functional somatosensory symptoms

• IRAS ID

  296428

• Contact name

  Glenn Nielsen

• Contact email

  gnielsen@sgul.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  St George's, University of London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  BACKGROUND
  Functional neurological disorder (FND) is diagnosis causing neurological symptoms such as weakness, tremor and sensory loss. These symptoms occur in the absence of damage to the nervous system. Both psychological (e.g. anxiety and panic) and biological (e.g. physical injury) factors can contribute to FND. This research will focus on the sensory symptoms of FND (e.g. numbness and pins and needles), which will be referred to as functional somatosensory symptoms (FSS).

  There has been a lot of research into FND, but we know very little about FSS and how to diagnose them, despite them being common and a potential cause of disability and distress.

  AIMS
  1. Define the incidence and clinical features of FSS in people with FND motor symptoms such as weakness (mFND)
  2. Compare sensory symptoms in people with mFND and acute stroke
  3. Develop methods to assess and diagnose FSS

  METHODS

  Work Package 1: will include 3 groups: (i) 100 people with mFND; (ii) up to 100 people with acute stroke; and up to 100 people with mFND undergoing specialist physiotherapy. All participants will be assessed using questionnaires, an interview and a clinical assessment (sensation and movement). The mFND groups will be followed up at 6 and 12 months to assess change.

  Work Package 2 will include 2 groups: (i) 50 people with mFND; and (ii) up to 50 healthy controls. Each will undergo a one-off electroencephalography (EEG) to explore the electrical activity in the sensory nerves and brain in response to sensory stimulation (somatosensory evoked potentials, Mismatch Negativity and P300). The usefulness of these EEG assessments in diagnosing FSS will be explored.

  Patient representatives will help to develop, monitor and disseminate findings.

• REC name

  London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  21/LO/0724

• Date of REC Opinion

  12 Nov 2021

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion