Factitious disorders in neurology: an analysis of reported cases.
BACKGROUND
Factitious disorder (FD) is the deliberate production or simulation of symptoms in order to adopt the sick role.


OBJECTIVE
The authors look at FD in the neurology setting.


METHODS
The authors examined documented, published cases.


RESULTS
FD cases in neurology are strikingly different from those in other specialties in terms of their demographics. Whereas the paradigm of FD in medicine as a whole is of the socially stable female healthcare worker, neurology continues to report largely the classic itinerant "Munchausen's" type.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors explore two possible explanations for this: either that female healthcare workers with FD do not present neurologically, or that, if they do, they are diagnosed with conversion disorder.
Kanaan
Richard A A
RA
Institute of Psychiatry, Dept. of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, P062, Weston Education Centre, London SE5 9RJ. r.kanaan@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Wessely
Simon C
SC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009110:Munchausen Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009462:Neurology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012803:Sick Role; D055815:Young Adult