Passive Thoughts in Functional Movement Disorders

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).

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Functional Movement Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionaire

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.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • London, Ontario, Canada, N6A5A5
      • Aditya Murgai

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients diagnosed with a functional movement disorder will be included in the study.

Description

Inclusion criteria for cases:

1. Diagnosed with a functional movement disorder by the neurologist.
2. Able to understand and read English.

Exclusion criteria for cases:

1. Unable to understand and read English.
2. Diagnosed with dementia.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
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.	Other: 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.
Healthy controls; The controls will complete the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale (MEWS). The individual responses will remain anonymous.	Other: 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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Passive thoughts questionnaire	The Passive Thoughts Questionnaire assesses the severity of passive thoughts and their impact on daily life.	Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Western University, Canada

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): March 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 27, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 27, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): June 3, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 21, 2025
• Last Verified: September 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Personality Disorders; Somatoform Disorders; Histrionic Personality Disorder; Movement Disorders; Conversion Disorder; Hysteria
• Other Study ID Numbers: 125294

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No