FND guide
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Independent information guide — not a medical service.

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Sources and review information

Status: Owner released - source checked

Evidence check: Mapped to checked master-register claims

Jurisdiction: UK

Last checked: Check the linked live source

Prepared by: Project editorial team

Owner release date: 2026-07-22

Independent review: Not independently reviewed

Corrections: Use the site correction route without including personal health information.

  • This interface or navigation block makes no evidence claim and has no source link.

Last checked: 2026-07-16

Jurisdiction: UK

Prepared by: Project editorial team

Owner release date: 2026-07-22

Independent review: Not independently reviewed

Correction route: Report changed or inaccurate information without including personal health information.

FND, in plain English

FND can affect movement, sensation, seizures, speech and thinking. The symptoms are real and involuntary—not something a person is choosing. Clinicians diagnose FND by finding recognised positive signs, not simply because a scan or test is normal.

Important limit: This general explanation cannot tell whether FND is causing any one person’s symptom.

Sources and review information

Status: Owner released - source checked

Evidence check: Mapped to checked master-register claims

Jurisdiction: UK

Last checked: Check the linked live source

Prepared by: Project editorial team

Owner release date: 2026-07-22

Independent review: Not independently reviewed

Corrections: Use the site correction route without including personal health information.

  • WHO ICD-11 2026 — World Health Organization. ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, 2026-01 release.
  • FND subtypes and shared mechanisms — Hallett M, Aybek S, Dworetzky BA, McWhirter L, Staab JP, Stone J. Functional neurological disorder: new subtypes and shared mechanisms. Lancet Neurol. 2022;21(6):537-550.
  • Diagnosis and management of FND — Aybek S, Perez DL. Diagnosis and management of functional neurological disorder. BMJ. 2022;376:o64.
  • WHO ICD-11 CDDR — World Health Organization. Clinical descriptions and diagnostic requirements for ICD-11 mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders. Geneva: WHO; 2024.
  • Practical review for physicians — Bennett K, Diamond C, Hoeritzauer I, et al. A practical review of functional neurological disorder for the general physician. Clin Med (Lond). 2021;21(1):28-36.
  • Current concepts — Espay AJ, Aybek S, Carson A, et al. Current concepts in diagnosis and treatment of functional neurological disorders. JAMA Neurol. 2018;75(9):1132-1141.
  • Explanation as treatment — Stone J, Carson A, Hallett M. Explanation as treatment for functional neurologic disorders. Handb Clin Neurol. 2016;139:543-553.

If something is new or different, get it checked

This guide cannot tell what is causing a new symptom. If something is new, clearly different or medically worrying, it should be checked rather than assumed to be FND.

What to do next: Use the NHS service that fits the situation, including urgent or emergency help when needed.

Important limit: This website cannot assess an emergency or tell you what is causing a symptom.

Sources and review information

Status: Owner released - source checked

Evidence check: Mapped to checked master-register claims

Jurisdiction: UK

Last checked: Check the linked live source

Prepared by: Project editorial team

Owner release date: 2026-07-22

Independent review: Not independently reviewed

Corrections: Use the site correction route without including personal health information.

  • Positive-sign accuracy review — Patwal R, Jolly AJ, Kumar A, Yadav R, Desai G, Thippeswamy H. Diagnostic accuracy of clinical signs and investigations for functional weakness, sensory and movement disorders: a systematic review. J Psychosom Res. 2023;168:111196.
  • Cautionary diagnostic notes — Perez DL, Aybek S, Popkirov S, et al. Cautionary notes on diagnosing functional neurologic disorder as a neurologist-in-training. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021;11(1):e72-e76.
  • Seizure semiology meta-analysis — Muthusamy S, Seneviratne U, Ding C, Phan TG. Using semiology to classify epileptic seizures vs psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: a meta-analysis. Neurol Clin Pract. 2022;12(3):234-247.
  • Functional gait sign-based approach — Nonnekes J, Ruzicka E, Serranova T, Reich SG, Bloem BR, Hallett M. Functional gait disorders: a sign-based approach. Neurology. 2020;94(24):1093-1099.
  • NICE NG127 referral — National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Suspected neurological conditions: recognition and referral (NG127). Updated 2 October 2023.
  • NICE FND quality statement — National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Quality statement 5: Functional neurological disorders in adults (QS198). 2021.

Good help already exists

This guide brings useful NHS, clinician, charity and peer-support resources together. It should help you understand why a link may be useful, then let you go there.

What to do next: Choose the outside resource that best matches what you need today.

Important limit: Charities and peer groups can offer valuable support, but they do not replace diagnosis, treatment or clinical follow-up.

Sources and review information

Status: Owner released - source checked

Evidence check: Mapped to checked master-register claims

Jurisdiction: UK

Last checked: Check the linked live source

Prepared by: Project editorial team

Owner release date: 2026-07-22

Independent review: Not independently reviewed

Corrections: Use the site correction route without including personal health information.

See what sits behind the words

You can see the sources behind each section, when they were checked, who wrote the page and what independent review has—or has not—taken place.

What to do next: Open “Sources and review details” when you want more detail.

Important limit: A source check or independent review does not mean that the NHS or another organisation endorses this guide.

Sources and review information

Status: Owner released - source checked

Evidence check: Mapped to checked master-register claims

Jurisdiction: UK

Last checked: Check the linked live source

Prepared by: Project editorial team

Owner release date: 2026-07-22

Independent review: Not independently reviewed

Corrections: Use the site correction route without including personal health information.