Dance and movement therapy for people with functional neurological disorder
Structured Dance/Movement Therapy for Functional Neurological Disorder: A Feasibility Study
This project will try a structured dance/movement therapy versus physical exercise for adults with functional neurological disorder to see if it helps them trust their bodies more, feel better overall, and have fewer symptoms.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | King's College London Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (London, London) |
| Trial ID | NCT07378488 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This feasibility trial will deliver a structured dance/movement therapy (DMT) program and compare it to an active physical exercise/body coordination condition in adults with functional neurological disorder (FND). The primary outcomes are feasibility and acceptability of the DMT intervention, with exploratory measures of body trust, general wellbeing, functional neurological symptoms, and dissociative symptoms. Participants must provide proof of an existing FND diagnosis and be able to attend in-person sessions at the study site. Outcomes will inform whether a larger randomized efficacy trial of DMT for FND is warranted.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 18 or older with a primary diagnosis of FND (seizures, motor, sensory, or mixed symptoms), fluent in English, able to provide proof of diagnosis and attend in-person sessions are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with physical limitations preventing participation (e.g., paralysis, very frequent seizures >10/day), those with only functional cognitive symptoms, or those already engaged in body-based therapy may not receive benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a non-drug, body-based therapy that improves body trust, wellbeing, and reduces FND and dissociative symptoms for some patients.
How similar studies have performed: Body-based and somatic therapies have shown promise for dissociation and related conditions and DMT has improved wellbeing in other populations, but its application specifically to FND is novel and evidence is limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 or older * Fluency in English language * Normal or corrected eyesight * Primary diagnosis of FND with seizures, motor symptoms, sensory symptoms, or mixed FND symptoms * Participants will be asked to provide proof of FND diagnosis in the form of an existing medical letter from a qualified healthcare professional (not required to be from an NHS service). This will be checked prior to engaging in the screening interview for the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Physical symptoms or disability that would prohibit the participant's ability to engage with the intervention and/or attend the in-person sessions (e.g., upper/lower limb paralysis, seizure frequency \> 10 per day, severe tremor) * A diagnosis of functional cognitive disorder or functional cognitive symptoms only * Current participation in another body-based therapy or intervention for FND - participants currently engaging in some form of body- based therapy, whether self-guided or therapist-guided, will be asked to abstain from these sessions during the course of this study. If this is not feasible, the participant will be excluded from the current study. * Current comorbid diagnosis of a major neurological (e.g., epilepsy, Parkinson's), psychiatric (e.g., schizophrenia, active psychosis, severe alcohol or substance use disorder), or cardiovascular (e.g., coronary artery disease, heart failure) disorder that may impair the participant's ability to participate in the study and confound the results
Where this trial is running
London, London
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London — London, London, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.