Tag: Functional Neurological Disorder

The Cortical Homunculus – Reshaping the Brain through Movement

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The cortical homunculus is a physical representation of our body in our brain. There are two types of these neurological ‘maps’; one for sensory pathways, the other for motor. The area a body part takes up on the map depends on how innervated it is, not how large. If our bodies actually looked like our brain’s representation, we would look very strange indeed. What these maps look like also varies from person to person as they are dependent on the information the brain receives. My hands probably have a larger representation than average due to my music and crafts, whilst my legs are likely to have a smaller representation than average as a result of the movement symptoms of my FND.Read More

It’s not the falling that matters; it’s the getting up that counts

Conciously Connected - It's not the falling that matters; it's the getting up that counts

I move from side to side, shifting the centre of gravity in my chest, left, right, left, right. My knees bend softly, my feet start to lift up, left, right, left, right. I look ahead in the mirror, left, right, left, right. I hold the rail, the sturdy support, left, right, left, right. There’s an unfamiliar jolt beneath me; my body twists and I fall on my back. Read More

“Where are my legs?” Movement Difficulties in FND

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I’m sitting on the sofa.  An icy chill seeps through my skin, penetrating layers of clothing and blankets.  My legs are switched off.  Lifeless.  Paralysed.  I try to wriggle my toes.  I can’t.

Symptoms of abnormal movement are a common feature of FND, so much so that it is sometimes referred to as Functional Movement Disorder.  Paralysis, spasms, tremor, limp and gait changes can occur.  Any part of the body can start moving in an unusual way.  My movement can change so dramatically and quickly from full-body paralysis to violent spasms that can take me to the opposite side of the room.  It is unnerving to experience and I expect it’s unnerving to watch.

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FND Awareness Day 2016 – ‘Notes on Being Me’

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FND (Functional Neurological Disorder) Awareness Day was this week.  Raising the profile of the disorder is so important.  It took fifteen years for me to receive a correct diagnosis and specialist treatment to help me self-manage my condition.  That was half my lifetime and far too long.  Even so, I consider myself fortunate; I have a diagnosis and I have access to a world-class team of medical experts. Read More