NCT05455450: MODIFI

Eye MOvement DesensItisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) for FunctIonal Neurological Disorder (FND)

Completed NA Last updated 16 September 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy in Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder in 50 participants. Completed in 31 May 2025.

Timeline

7 November 2022

Primary endpoint
31 August 2024

31 May 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	single group
Masking	single
Primary purpose	other
Enrollment	50
Start date	7 November 2022
Primary completion	31 August 2024
Estimated completion	31 May 2025
Sites	2 locations across United Kingdom

Drugs / interventions tested

• Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy
• Neuropsychiatric care

Conditions studied

• Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder — all drugs for Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder →

Sponsor

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system and how the brain and body send and receive signals, rather than due to neurological disease or injury. This causes a range of neurological symptoms such as seizures, shaking, weakness, and paralysis. The symptoms are associated with significant distress and disability. Treatment for FND in the United Kingdom is limited, and the evidence-base for treatment is poor, despite it being a common presentation. A psychological therapy called cognitive-behavioural therapy has been found to be beneficial, but it does not help everyone. EMDR is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder, but it can also be helpful with other conditions. There is a small amount of case study evidence that EMDR can be useful at treating FND, but proper scientific evaluation is needed.

This research aims to evaluate the possibility of delivering, and potential benefit, of EMDR for FND. If the study shows that it is feasible and potentially beneficial, a larger trial will be designed. The study will recruit 50 participants who have specific functional neurological symptoms: weakness, walking difficulties, jerks, shaking, and/or seizures from a Neuropsychiatry Service. Participants will be allocated to EMDR, and routine medical appointments, or routine medical appointments alone. Allocation will be carried out by a computer programme. Those allocated to EMDR will be offered 8-16 weekly therapy sessions, completed within 6 months, and follow-up session 1 month after therapy has ended. Participants will be able to choose whether to attend therapy in-person or via an online video conferencing platform. Participants will complete questionnaires regarding health-related functioning, FND, mental health, and healthcare utilisation. These questionnaires will be completed at the beginning, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months.

Some participants will attend interviews about experiences of treatment.

Publications & conference data

4 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Randomised feasibility study evaluating eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy for functional neurological disorder (MODIFI).
   Cope SR, Smith JG, El-Leithy S, Vanzan S, et al · · 2025 · cited 3× · PMID 40627223 · DOI 10.1007/s00415-025-13219-5
2. MODIFI: protocol for randomised feasibility study of eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) for functional neurological disorder (FND).
   Cope SR, Smith JG, El-Leithy S, Vanzan S, et al · · 2023 · cited 3× · PMID 37270188 · DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073727
3. The journey to diagnosis and care of functional neurological disorder (FND).
   Pritomanova I, Cope SR, James B, Edwards MJ, et al · · 2026 · PMID 42018562 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0328321
4. The journey to a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)
   Pritomanova I, Cope SR, James B, Edwards MJ, et al · · 2025 · DOI 10.1101/2025.07.02.25330696