Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for functional neurological disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial.
Clin Neurol NeurosurgJul 30, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry
Bruno Gabriel Dal Pasquale, Bruno Bertoli Esmanhotto, Mateus de Oliveira Alves et al.
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In 30 seconds
This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) combined with Standard Medical Care (SMC) in adults with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Results indicated that STPP plus SMC significantly reduced symptom frequency compared to SMC alone, with an estimated mean difference of -5.72 days (95% CI -8.68 to -2.77; p < 0.001).
Key findings
- STPP plus SMC reduced symptom frequency by an estimated mean difference of -5.72 days.
- 65.8% of the intervention group achieved a treatment response versus 16.7% in controls.
- Significant improvements were noted in depression (HAM-D: -10.80), anxiety (HAM-A: -7.94), and disability (WHODAS 2.0: -5.77).
Why it matters
The study highlights the potential of STPP as an effective treatment for reducing symptoms in patients with FND, addressing a gap in evidence-based psychotherapeutic options for this condition.