Passive Thoughts in Functional Movement Disorders

NCT ID: NCT06439017

Last Updated: 2025-01-24

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2027-12-31

Brief Summary

Passive thoughts also known as mind-wandering are the thoughts that are not produced from the current task. When we aren't focused on a task that needs our full attention, our minds tend to drift from one thought to another. It is believed that mind wandering is the baseline or natural state of the mind, and we shift our focus only when needed for a task. Many areas of the brain are active during mind-wandering, and these areas together are called the brain's default network. An important part of this network is the right temporoparietal junction.

Functional movement disorder (FMD) is characterized by unusual movements or walking difficulties that are not caused by a specific brain or nerve injury. Functional movement disorders are believed to be caused due to loss of sense of agency. The sense of agency is the awareness that one is responsible for their own actions. The brain network involved in the sense of agency is mainly located in the right side of the brain, especially in the right temporoparietal junction. In FMD patients, there is decreased connectivity between the right temporoparietal junction and other brain areas that control movement.

Since both passive thoughts (mind wandering) and the sense of agency involve the temporoparietal junction, and because the sense of agency is abnormal in functional movement disorders (FMD), we plan to study passive thoughts in individuals with FMD. The study aims to find out how passive thoughts differ between individuals with FMD and healthy individuals. Passive thoughts will be measured using Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS).

Detailed Description

To evaluate passive thoughts in functional movement disorders (FMD), we will collect data from 30 FMD patients and 30 healthy controls. Patients will be recruited from the movement disorders clinic and the integrated functional movement disorders clinic at LHSC. Both groups will be asked to complete the paper-based Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) to evaluate passive thoughts. Additionally, FMD patients will complete the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), a 36-item self-administered questionnaire designed to measure disability over the past 30 days. Completing both questionnaires will take approximately 15-20 minutes. The questionnaires will be completed once.

Conditions

Functional Movement Disorder

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Cases with functional movement disorders

The cases will complete the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), a 36-item self-administered questionnaire. The individual responses will remain anonymous.

Questionaire

Intervention Type: OTHER

The study will involve completing the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), a 36-item self-administered questionnaire.

Healthy controls

The controls will complete the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS). The individual responses will remain anonymous.

Questionaire

Intervention Type: OTHER

The study will involve completing the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), a 36-item self-administered questionnaire.

Interventions

Questionaire

The study will involve completing the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), a 36-item self-administered questionnaire.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Diagnosed with a functional movement disorder by the neurologist.

2. Able to understand and read English.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Unable to understand and read English.

2. Diagnosed with dementia.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Western University, Canada

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Aditya Murgai

Passive thoughts in functional movement disorders

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Aditya Murgai

London, Ontario, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

125294

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id