ADIE-FS - Aligning Dimensions of Interoceptive Experience in Patients With Functional Seizures

Launched by UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON · Oct 23, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The ADIE-FS trial is studying a potential new treatment for people with functional seizures, which are seizures that look similar to epilepsy but aren’t caused by the same brain activity. Researchers believe that understanding how patients sense their body’s signals—known as interoception—could help improve treatments for these seizures. In this study, they will explore whether training people to better recognize and understand their internal body signals can reduce the severity of their seizures and related symptoms.

To join the study, participants need to be over 18 years old and have a diagnosis of functional seizures. However, those with certain health conditions, such as severe cognitive impairment or active psychosis, or those currently receiving specific therapies, may not be eligible. Participants can expect to engage in activities aimed at improving their awareness of body signals, which may help manage their seizures more effectively. This trial is currently recruiting, and all genders are welcome to participate.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Aged over 18 years
• • Capacity to complete informed consent to take part in study
• • Possible, or probable or clinically established or documented functional seizure as per International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) criteria
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Age below 18 years
• • Past moderate to severe head injury as defined by Mayo criteria
• • Moderate to severe cognitive impairment
• • Co-existing or past neurological disorder causing sensorimotor symptoms
• • Co-existing major psychiatric disorder with active psychosis
• • Moderate to severe musculo-skeletal disease (e.g., osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis) causing functional impairment (e.g., in gait or basic activities of daily living)
• • Current substance or alcohol dependence
• • A recent cardiovascular event (last 12 months) or undiagnosed chest pain
• • BMI (body mass index \> 40kg/m2)
• • Taking cardiac ionotropic drugs
• • Uncontrolled hypertension
• • Pregnancy
• • Uncontrolled asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• • Are having cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) specifically for functional seizures, or are due to have CBT specifically for functional seizures within the period of the study.