Functional Movement Disorder as a Prodromal Symptom of Parkinson's Disease—Clinical and Pathophysiological Insights

Abstract

Functional movement disorder (FMD) is a common manifestation of functional neurological disorder. FMD can occur alongside other neurological conditions, but especially in patients with established Parkinson's disease (PD). An interesting observation emerging across cohort studies and case series is that FMD can precede the diagnosis of PD, suggesting that FMD may itself be a prodromal symptom of neurodegeneration. Such a notion would have significant clinical implications for the assessment and management of people with FMD, particularly with respect to decisions around the use of auxiliary investigations, counselling, and follow-up. In this Viewpoint we review the evidence concerning the temporal relationship between FMD and PD. We discuss the potential explanations and mechanisms for FMD as a prodromal symptom of PD, and highlight clinical considerations and important outstanding questions in the field. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.