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Conversion disorder

MedGen UID:
3230
Concept ID:
C0009946
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonyms: Conversion Disorder; Conversion Disorders; Conversion Hysteria; Conversion Reaction; Disorder, Functional Movement; Disorder, Functional Neurological; Functional Movement Disorder; Functional Movement Disorders; Functional Neurological Disorder; Functional Neurological Disorders; Hysteria, Conversion; Movement Disorder, Functional; Movement Disorders, Functional; Neurological Disorder, Functional; Neurological Disorders, Functional
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0002104

Definition

Conversion disorder is a disorder in which a person experiences blindness, paralysis, or other symptoms affecting the nervous system that cannot be explained solely by a physical illness or injury. Symptoms usually begin suddenly after a period of emotional or physical distress or psychological conflict. Conversion disorder is thought to be caused by the bodys reaction to a stressful physical or emotional event. Some research has identified potential neurological changes that may be related to symptoms of the disorder. Diagnosis of conversion disorder is based on identifying particular signs that are common among people with the disorder, as well as performing tests to rule out other causes of the symptoms. Treatment may include psychotherapy, hypnosis, and stress management training to help reduce symptoms. Treatment of any underlying psychological disorder is also recommended. The affected body part may require physical or occupational therapy until symptoms resolve. [from MONDO]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVConversion disorder

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Lopez MR, LaFrance WC
Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2022 Aug;22(8):467-474. Epub 2022 Jun 8 doi: 10.1007/s11910-022-01209-3. PMID: 35674871
H Buck B, Akhtar N, Alrohimi A, Khan K, Shuaib A
Ann Med 2021 Dec;53(1):420-436. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2021.1890205. PMID: 33678099Free PMC Article
Espay AJ, Aybek S, Carson A, Edwards MJ, Goldstein LH, Hallett M, LaFaver K, LaFrance WC Jr, Lang AE, Nicholson T, Nielsen G, Reuber M, Voon V, Stone J, Morgante F
JAMA Neurol 2018 Sep 1;75(9):1132-1141. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.1264. PMID: 29868890Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Hallett M, Aybek S, Dworetzky BA, McWhirter L, Staab JP, Stone J
Lancet Neurol 2022 Jun;21(6):537-550. Epub 2022 Apr 14 doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00422-1. PMID: 35430029Free PMC Article
Nicholson C, Edwards MJ, Carson AJ, Gardiner P, Golder D, Hayward K, Humblestone S, Jinadu H, Lumsden C, MacLean J, Main L, Macgregor L, Nielsen G, Oakley L, Price J, Ranford J, Ranu J, Sum E, Stone J
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020 Oct;91(10):1037-1045. Epub 2020 Jul 30 doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-322281. PMID: 32732388
O'Neal MA, Baslet G
Am J Psychiatry 2018 Apr 1;175(4):307-314. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040450. PMID: 29606068
Carson A, Lehn A
Handb Clin Neurol 2016;139:47-60. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-801772-2.00005-9. PMID: 27719864
Lehn A, Gelauff J, Hoeritzauer I, Ludwig L, McWhirter L, Williams S, Gardiner P, Carson A, Stone J
J Neurol 2016 Mar;263(3):611-20. Epub 2015 Sep 26 doi: 10.1007/s00415-015-7893-2. PMID: 26410744

Diagnosis

Lopez MR, LaFrance WC
Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2022 Aug;22(8):467-474. Epub 2022 Jun 8 doi: 10.1007/s11910-022-01209-3. PMID: 35674871
Marcolini E, Tolchin B
Emerg Med Clin North Am 2021 Feb;39(1):123-132. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2020.09.007. PMID: 33218653
Feinstein A
Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2018 Jun;24(3, BEHAVIORAL NEUROLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY):861-872. doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000601. PMID: 29851882
O'Neal MA, Baslet G
Am J Psychiatry 2018 Apr 1;175(4):307-314. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040450. PMID: 29606068
Galli S, Tatu L, Bogousslavsky J, Aybek S
Front Neurol Neurosci 2018;42:72-80. Epub 2017 Nov 17 doi: 10.1159/000475699. PMID: 29151092

Therapy

Kim YN, Gray N, Jones A, Scher S, Kozlowska K
Semin Pediatr Neurol 2022 Apr;41:100947. Epub 2021 Nov 19 doi: 10.1016/j.spen.2021.100947. PMID: 35450664
Pick S, Anderson DG, Asadi-Pooya AA, Aybek S, Baslet G, Bloem BR, Bradley-Westguard A, Brown RJ, Carson AJ, Chalder T, Damianova M, David AS, Edwards MJ, Epstein SA, Espay AJ, Garcin B, Goldstein LH, Hallett M, Jankovic J, Joyce EM, Kanaan RA, Keynejad RC, Kozlowska K, LaFaver K, LaFrance WC Jr, Lang AE, Lehn A, Lidstone S, Maurer CW, Mildon B, Morgante F, Myers L, Nicholson C, Nielsen G, Perez DL, Popkirov S, Reuber M, Rommelfanger KS, Schwingenshuh P, Serranova T, Shotbolt P, Stebbins GT, Stone J, Tijssen MA, Tinazzi M, Nicholson TR
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020 Jun;91(6):638-649. Epub 2020 Feb 28 doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-322180. PMID: 32111637Free PMC Article
Espay AJ, Aybek S, Carson A, Edwards MJ, Goldstein LH, Hallett M, LaFaver K, LaFrance WC Jr, Lang AE, Nicholson T, Nielsen G, Reuber M, Voon V, Stone J, Morgante F
JAMA Neurol 2018 Sep 1;75(9):1132-1141. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.1264. PMID: 29868890Free PMC Article
O'Neal MA, Baslet G
Am J Psychiatry 2018 Apr 1;175(4):307-314. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17040450. PMID: 29606068
Perez DL, LaFrance WC Jr
CNS Spectr 2016 Jun;21(3):239-46. Epub 2016 Mar 21 doi: 10.1017/S109285291600002X. PMID: 26996600Free PMC Article

Prognosis

McLoughlin C, Hoeritzauer I, Cabreira V, Aybek S, Adams C, Alty J, Ball HA, Baker J, Bullock K, Burness C, Dworetzky BA, Finkelstein S, Garcin B, Gelauff J, Goldstein LH, Jordbru A, Huys AM, Laffan A, Lidstone SC, Linden SC, Ludwig L, Maggio J, Morgante F, Mallam E, Nicholson C, O'Neal M, O'Sullivan S, Pareés I, Petrochilos P, Pick S, Phillips W, Roelofs K, Newby R, Stanton B, Gray C, Joyce EM, Tijssen MA, Chalder T, McCormick M, Gardiner P, Bègue I, Tuttle MC, Williams I, McRae S, Voon V, McWhirter L
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2023 Oct;94(10):855-862. Epub 2023 Mar 28 doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-330192. PMID: 36977553Free PMC Article
Jungilligens J, Paredes-Echeverri S, Popkirov S, Barrett LF, Perez DL
Brain 2022 Aug 27;145(8):2648-2663. doi: 10.1093/brain/awac204. PMID: 35653495Free PMC Article
Hallett M, Aybek S, Dworetzky BA, McWhirter L, Staab JP, Stone J
Lancet Neurol 2022 Jun;21(6):537-550. Epub 2022 Apr 14 doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00422-1. PMID: 35430029Free PMC Article
Perez DL, LaFrance WC Jr
CNS Spectr 2016 Jun;21(3):239-46. Epub 2016 Mar 21 doi: 10.1017/S109285291600002X. PMID: 26996600Free PMC Article
Tomczak KK, Rosman NP
J Child Neurol 2013 Mar;28(3):365-78. Epub 2012 Dec 26 doi: 10.1177/0883073812469294. PMID: 23271760

Clinical prediction guides

Jungilligens J, Paredes-Echeverri S, Popkirov S, Barrett LF, Perez DL
Brain 2022 Aug 27;145(8):2648-2663. doi: 10.1093/brain/awac204. PMID: 35653495Free PMC Article
Hallett M, Aybek S, Dworetzky BA, McWhirter L, Staab JP, Stone J
Lancet Neurol 2022 Jun;21(6):537-550. Epub 2022 Apr 14 doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00422-1. PMID: 35430029Free PMC Article
Perez DL, Nicholson TR, Asadi-Pooya AA, Bègue I, Butler M, Carson AJ, David AS, Deeley Q, Diez I, Edwards MJ, Espay AJ, Gelauff JM, Hallett M, Horovitz SG, Jungilligens J, Kanaan RAA, Tijssen MAJ, Kozlowska K, LaFaver K, LaFrance WC Jr, Lidstone SC, Marapin RS, Maurer CW, Modirrousta M, Reinders AATS, Sojka P, Staab JP, Stone J, Szaflarski JP, Aybek S
Neuroimage Clin 2021;30:102623. Epub 2021 Mar 11 doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102623. PMID: 34215138Free PMC Article
Hailes HP, Yu R, Danese A, Fazel S
Lancet Psychiatry 2019 Oct;6(10):830-839. Epub 2019 Sep 10 doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30286-X. PMID: 31519507Free PMC Article
Espay AJ, Aybek S, Carson A, Edwards MJ, Goldstein LH, Hallett M, LaFaver K, LaFrance WC Jr, Lang AE, Nicholson T, Nielsen G, Reuber M, Voon V, Stone J, Morgante F
JAMA Neurol 2018 Sep 1;75(9):1132-1141. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.1264. PMID: 29868890Free PMC Article

Recent systematic reviews

Boulet C, Lopez-Castroman J, Mouchabac S, Olié E, Courtet P, Thouvenot E, Abbar M, Conejero I
Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022 Jan;132:957-967. Epub 2021 Nov 2 doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.049. PMID: 34740754
Walzl D, Solomon AJ, Stone J
J Neurol 2022 Feb;269(2):654-663. Epub 2021 Feb 21 doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10436-6. PMID: 33611631Free PMC Article
Pick S, Anderson DG, Asadi-Pooya AA, Aybek S, Baslet G, Bloem BR, Bradley-Westguard A, Brown RJ, Carson AJ, Chalder T, Damianova M, David AS, Edwards MJ, Epstein SA, Espay AJ, Garcin B, Goldstein LH, Hallett M, Jankovic J, Joyce EM, Kanaan RA, Keynejad RC, Kozlowska K, LaFaver K, LaFrance WC Jr, Lang AE, Lehn A, Lidstone S, Maurer CW, Mildon B, Morgante F, Myers L, Nicholson C, Nielsen G, Perez DL, Popkirov S, Reuber M, Rommelfanger KS, Schwingenshuh P, Serranova T, Shotbolt P, Stebbins GT, Stone J, Tijssen MA, Tinazzi M, Nicholson TR
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020 Jun;91(6):638-649. Epub 2020 Feb 28 doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-322180. PMID: 32111637Free PMC Article
Hailes HP, Yu R, Danese A, Fazel S
Lancet Psychiatry 2019 Oct;6(10):830-839. Epub 2019 Sep 10 doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30286-X. PMID: 31519507Free PMC Article
Ding JM, Kanaan RA
Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2017 Mar-Apr;45:51-55. Epub 2016 Dec 24 doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2016.12.009. PMID: 28274339

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