School of Medicine Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-17-2025
Abstract
Functional neurologic symptom disorder (FNSD) is a multifaceted condition that can present with neurologic symptoms inconsistent with recognized neurological disease, often in the context of psychosocial stressors, though these are not required for diagnosis. We report the case of a 12-year-old Hispanic female who developed episodes of limb paralysis, motor unresponsiveness, and self-injurious behaviors following a history of sexual abuse by a family member. Despite the initial absence of depressive symptoms, the patient later met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her neurological symptoms lacked identifiable medical findings, following unremarkable results from comprehensive blood work, a brain CT scan, MRIs, and an EEG. She was ultimately diagnosed with FNSD. Her care involved multiple psychiatric hospitalizations and trials of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), with partial response, complicated by psychosocial instability and poor adherence. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-TF) was initiated and continued alongside pharmacologic treatment. At follow-up, the patient showed modest improvement in mood and functioning. There was a considerable reduction in the frequency and duration of her episodes, and her mood improved, from being dysthymic and socially withdrawn to becoming more engaged and euthymic, which led to increased participation in school and family activities. This case emphasizes the need for individualized, trauma-informed, and developmentally sensitive approaches to reduce extensive medical work-ups and optimize care in pediatric FNSD.
Recommended Citation
Sosa Gomez, A. E., & Gutierrez, D. (2025). Bridging the Mind and Body: Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder Following Sexual Trauma in an Adolescent Girl. Cureus, 17(7), e88181. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.88181
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication Title
Cureus
DOI
10.7759/cureus.88181
Academic Level
resident
Mentor/PI Department
Psychiatry
Comments
© Copyright 2025 Sosa Gomez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CCBY 4.0., which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.