Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) Research Group

Our research focusses on Functional Neurological Disorders (FND), formerly called Conversion disorder. Our team is multidisciplinary, involving neurologists, engineers, psychologists and neuroscientists so that we can merge our expertise in conducting clinical research, aiming to better understand this disabling disorder and ultimately help the numerous patients suffering from FND.

An important part of our research is dedicated to the validation of clinical bedside signs in order to aid the diagnostic process, the identification of biomarkers (objective assessment of clinical signs, brain MRI) and epidemiologic surveys in order to define prognostic factors.

Another important part of our research aims at a better understanding of the links between stress, emotion regulation and the physical symptoms, by studying biological markers of the stress response (cortisol, alpha-amylase, motor freeze response and brain activity under stress).

Our research is currently supported by the Swiss National Research Foundation (SNF Professorship Grant), the Leenards Foundation (Nested Project Grant), the University of Geneva (UniGE), the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and the University Hospital Inselspital Bern.