The meeting will begin with a brief presentation by Manizhe Eslami-Amirabadi MD (Behavioral Neurologist, Assistant Professor of Neurology at University of Washington Memory and Brain Wellness Clinic) providing an overview of functional neurological disorders (FND), including a definition, current understanding of pathophysiology, and key ethical considerations in diagnosis and management.
The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion examining ethical challenges in FND care, with particular attention to:
- The limitations of the dualistic system that separates neurology and psychiatry;
- The impact of stigma associated with the diagnosis of FND on patients and care delivery.
This event is organized by the INS Clinical Neuroethics Affinity Group. Registration is required to receive a Zoom link.
Attend
Date: February 12, 2026
Start time: 8:00 a.m. U.S. Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Duration: 90 minutes
Location: Online (Zoom)
Panelists
Manizhe Eslami-Amirabadi MD
Behavioral Neurologist, Assistant Professor of Neurology at University of Washington Memory and Brain Wellness Clinic
Markus Reuber, MD, PhD
Professor of Clinical Neurology and Head of the Academic Department of Neurosciences at the University of Sheffield. Dr. Reuber is an internationally recognized expert in Functional Neurological Disorder and dissociative seizures, with extensive clinical, research, and educational contributions focused on diagnosis, communication, and patient-centered care in FND.
Timothy Nicholson, MD, PhD
Consultant Neuropsychiatrist and Clinical Senior Lecturer at King’s College London. Dr. Nicholson’s work bridges neurology and psychiatry, with a research focus on the neurobiology, ethics, and clinical management of FND, particularly at the interface of brain, mind, and stigma in neurological illness.
Peter Gilli
Patient representative co-author on FND related guidlines and public patient advocate