title: The borderland between neurology and history. Conversion reactions.
abstract: The epidemic of conversion reactions taking place at the end of the twentieth century is a result of long-term changes in the presentation of functional illness. These changes often are a response to deeper issues in the culture about what constitutes legitimate organic disease. This epidemic also is a response to short-term changes in the attributions to which patients ascribe their illnesses. Such attributions are heavily influenced by the media, and clinicians must be on guard against both long- and short-term changes as they affect the presentation and attribution of illness.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shorter
mesh_terms: D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012803:Sick Role; D012922:Social Change