New Research Reveals a Biological Connection Between FND and Chronic Pain That Could Reduce NHS Healthcare Costs

A comprehensive review spanning over three decades has uncovered a significant biological link between Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and chronic pain, two prevalent yet often misunderstood neurological conditions. This discovery holds the potential to transform how these conditions are diagnosed and treated, ultimately saving the NHS an estimated £2 billion annually in treatment costs.

The study, published in BMJ Neurology Open and led by researchers from the University of Central Lancashire, is the first of its kind to synthesise data from over 2,500 global patient studies conducted between 1990 and 2024. It employed various brain imaging techniques to identify shared neural abnormalities in both FND and chronic pain patients.

FND is one of the most common neurological conditions, yet it remains under-recognised. Around 9% of neurology inpatients and 16% of outpatients in the NHS are diagnosed with FND annually. Meanwhile, approximately one-third to one-half of UK adults experience chronic pain, with about 14% having pain severe enough to disrupt daily life.

The research findings reveal that both conditions involve common alterations in key brain networks responsible for cognition, emotion, and sensory processing. These include:

• The default mode network, active during rest,
• The sensorimotor network, which processes emotional and sensory information,
• The salience network, acting as a switchboard for detecting critical stimuli and allocating brain resources.

Identifying these overlapping neural mechanisms highlights the possibility of developing joint treatments. Approaches like neuromodulation, neurofeedback, and clinical hypnosis could be tailored to address both conditions simultaneously, offering more effective and cost-efficient care.

Dr. Abhijit Das, a lead researcher from the University of Lancashire, emphasises that recognizing the neurobiological connection between FND and chronic pain can significantly improve patient management. He notes that over 55% of FND patients also suffer from chronic pain, and around 20% of chronic pain patients may have an undiagnosed FND component. This overlap explains why some patients do not respond to traditional pain therapies and underscores the need for early detection and integrated treatment pathways.

The research team is also working on developing NHS guidelines that will help healthcare providers better screen and manage these interconnected conditions, aiming to reduce unnecessary treatments and expenses while enhancing patient outcomes.

Ultimately, understanding FND and chronic pain as interconnected conditions allows clinicians to adopt a holistic, multidisciplinary approach, leading to better patient care, reduced healthcare costs, and improved quality of life for those affected.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-biological-link-common-neurological-conditions.html