Psychogenic paroxysmal movement disorders--clinical features and diagnostic clues

TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychogenic paroxysmal movement disorders--clinical features and diagnostic clues

AU - Ganos, Christos

AU - Aguirregomozcorta, Maria

AU - Batla, Amit

AU - Stamelou, Maria

AU - Schwingenschuh, Petra

AU - Münchau, Alexander

AU - Edwards, Mark J

AU - Bhatia, Kailash P

N1 - Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

PY - 2014/1/1

Y1 - 2014/1/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of psychogenic paroxysmal movement disorders (PPMD) can be challenging, in particular their distinction from the primary paroxysmal dyskinesias (PxD) remains difficult.METHODS: Here we present a large series of 26 PPMD cases, describe their characteristics, contrast them with primary PxD and focus on their distinguishing diagnostic features.RESULTS: Mean age at onset was 38.6 years, i.e. much later than primary PxD. Women were predominantly affected (73%). Most subjects (88.4%) had long attacks, and unlike primary PxD there was a very high within-subject variability for attack phenomenology, duration and frequency. Dystonia was the most common single movement disorder presentation, but 69.2% of the patients had mixed or complex PxD. In 50% of PPMD cases attack triggers could be identified but these were unusual for primary PxD. 42.3% of patients employed unusual strategies to alleviate or stop the attacks. Response to typical medication used for primary PxD was poor. Precipitation of the disorder due to physical or emotional life events and stressors were documented in 57.6% and 65.3% of the cases respectively. Additional interictal psychogenic signs were documented in 34.6% and further medically unexplained somatic symptoms were present in 50% of the cases. 19.2% of patients had a comorbid organic movement disorder and 26.9% had pre-existing psychiatric comorbidities.CONCLUSION: Although the phenotypic presentation of PPMD can be highly diverse, certain clinical characteristics help in distinguishing this condition from the primary forms of PxD. Recognition is important as multidisciplinary treatment approaches led to significant improvement in most cases.

AB - BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of psychogenic paroxysmal movement disorders (PPMD) can be challenging, in particular their distinction from the primary paroxysmal dyskinesias (PxD) remains difficult.METHODS: Here we present a large series of 26 PPMD cases, describe their characteristics, contrast them with primary PxD and focus on their distinguishing diagnostic features.RESULTS: Mean age at onset was 38.6 years, i.e. much later than primary PxD. Women were predominantly affected (73%). Most subjects (88.4%) had long attacks, and unlike primary PxD there was a very high within-subject variability for attack phenomenology, duration and frequency. Dystonia was the most common single movement disorder presentation, but 69.2% of the patients had mixed or complex PxD. In 50% of PPMD cases attack triggers could be identified but these were unusual for primary PxD. 42.3% of patients employed unusual strategies to alleviate or stop the attacks. Response to typical medication used for primary PxD was poor. Precipitation of the disorder due to physical or emotional life events and stressors were documented in 57.6% and 65.3% of the cases respectively. Additional interictal psychogenic signs were documented in 34.6% and further medically unexplained somatic symptoms were present in 50% of the cases. 19.2% of patients had a comorbid organic movement disorder and 26.9% had pre-existing psychiatric comorbidities.CONCLUSION: Although the phenotypic presentation of PPMD can be highly diverse, certain clinical characteristics help in distinguishing this condition from the primary forms of PxD. Recognition is important as multidisciplinary treatment approaches led to significant improvement in most cases.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Age of Onset

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Chorea

KW - Electroencephalography

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Retrospective Studies

KW - Somatoform Disorders

KW - Video Recording

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.09.012

DO - 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.09.012

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 24090947

VL - 20

SP - 41

EP - 46

JO - PARKINSONISM RELAT D

JF - PARKINSONISM RELAT D

SN - 1353-8020

IS - 1

ER -