Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. · Jun 2022
Meta AnalysisFunctional movement disorder gender, age and phenotype study: a systematic review and individual patient meta-analysis of 4905 cases.
Functional movement disorder (FMD) is a common manifestation of functional neurological disorder presenting with diverse phenotypes such as tremor, weakness and gait disorder. Our current understanding of the basic epidemiological features of this condition is unclear. We aimed to describe and examine the relationship between age at onset, phenotype and gender in FMD in a large meta-analysis of published and unpublished individual patient cases. ⋯ The interaction between gender and phenotype was not significant. FMD peaks in midlife with varying effects of gender on age at onset and phenotype. The data gives some support to 'lumping' FMD as a unitary disorder but also highlights the value in 'splitting' into individual phenotypes where relevant.