{
  "id": 1238682,
  "title": "Why one of the most common brain disorders is also one of the most misunderstood",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/why-one-of-the-most-common-brain-disorders-is-also-one-of-the-most",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-16T08:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91590677/functional-neurological-disorder-common-misunderstood"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "It’s all in your head. For many who have functional neurological disorder, they’ve heard these words more times than they’d like. Despite passing brain scans and calm electroencephalograms, their symptoms stubbornly persist. Falls, trembling legs, and seizures that leave them exhausted are all too real. Some question if their experiences are imagined. I have witnessed this story play out repeatedly during my tenure as program manager at one of the few multidisciplinary clinics specializing in the disorder.\n\nDr. Laura Strom, a neurologist at the clinic, often comforts patients by saying, “Well, it’s good that it’s all in your head—because that’s where your brain is.” This disconnect between normal test results and crippling symptoms has long puzzled patients. However, recent neuroscience offers new insights.\n\nOur brain orchestrates every movement, sensation, and emotion. It’s not a collection of independent networks, but interconnected ones constantly communicating. Predictive processing posits that the brain constantly makes predictions based on past experiences, sensory input, and bodily signals to create our everyday experiences. Walking up stairs is a prime example. You don’t consciously place each foot or contract every muscle. Your brain has already predicted the movement.\n\nHowever, functional neurological disorder may stem from faulty communication between these networks. When new information doesn’t align with existing predictions—shaped by past experiences and bodily signals—the brain must update its predictions. This disruption, called a mismatch prediction error, may be a key mechanism behind the disorder.\n\nWhile no single cause exists, factors like injury, illness, pain, or stress may predispose the brain to rely more on prior expectations rather than new information. If the brain places too much weight on outdated predictions or certain signals, adjusting to new information becomes challenging. For instance, an injured limb may still be perceived as unsafe, leading to persistent weakness or difficulty walking despite no ongoing harm.\n\nHistorically, functional neurological disorder has been dismissed as “psychogenic,” or originating from psychological factors. Symptoms were attributed to women’s emotional and psychological states, reflecting broader biases in women’s health care. Yet, neuroscience now recognizes these symptoms as arising from changes in brain function, not just psychological factors.\n\nFunctional neurological disorder is more common than often realized, affecting up to 5 million Americans, according to a 2025 review. Mortality rates among patients are more than twice the general population, yet specialized care remains scarce. Treatment options are limited due to a lack of specialists and funding. Healthcare professionals often receive minimal training on the condition.",
  "summary": "“It’s all in your head.” By the time many people with functional neurological disorder arrive in our clinic, they have heard these five words more times than they can count. They are told their brain scan was normal. Their electroencephalogram , a test that measures the brain’s electrical activity, is reassuring. “The good news is you don’t have epilepsy,” they’re told. No test can explain why…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}