Navigating internal consistencies: a case report on neuropsychological assessment of functional cognitive disorder

Authors

  • Siew Chung Mah (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (2) Universiti Sains Malaysia Specialist Hospital, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (3) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Development, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia.
  • Jasmine Elenore Parrott (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (2) Universiti Sains Malaysia Specialist Hospital, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (3) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Development, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia.
  • Zhi Ying Lim (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (2) Universiti Sains Malaysia Specialist Hospital, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (3) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Development, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia.
  • Wei Siong Ng (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (2) Universiti Sains Malaysia Specialist Hospital, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (3) Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Development, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia.
  • Hafidah Umar (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3422-6417
  • Muhammad Tahir Khalily (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
  • Faiz Mustafar (1) Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; (2) Universiti Sains Malaysia Specialist Hospital, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4025-5513

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31117/neuroscirn.v8i4.454

Keywords:

Functional cognitive disorder, Dissociative neurological symptom disorder, Functional neurological disorder, Conversion disorder, Neuropsychological assessment

Abstract

Functional Cognitive Disorder (FCD) is a subtype of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), with diagnostic criteria that have only recently been established in a major disease classification system. Although objective neuropsychological measures are not required for diagnosing FCD, they can provide valuable insights into discrepancies between subjective cognitive complaints, functionality, and objective neuropsychological performance. We present the case of a 51-year-old Malay female with a history of Major Depressive Disorder who developed neurocognitive complaints affecting her occupational and social functioning following the sudden death of her husband. A comprehensive assessment, including neuropsychological testing, brain MRI, and laboratory investigations, was conducted. Neuropsychological evaluation revealed significant impairments across multiple neurocognitive domains. However, the presence of situational and mood-related variability in memory performance, along with an inconsistency between the severity of her objective cognitive impairments and her largely preserved ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), supported a diagnosis of FCD. The diagnosis and management of FCD require a multidisciplinary approach. Clinical neuropsychology plays a crucial role in both diagnosing and understanding FCD by assessing neurocognitive functioning and intrapsychic processes. The use of various psychological instruments can help elucidate the neurocognitive profile of FCD to inform a more comprehensive and individualized management plan.

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Published

2025-12-29

How to Cite

Mah, S. C., Parrott, J. E., Lim, Z. Y., Ng, W. S., Umar, H., Khalily, M. T., & Mustafar, F. (2025). Navigating internal consistencies: a case report on neuropsychological assessment of functional cognitive disorder. Neuroscience Research Notes, 8(4), 454.1–454.8. https://doi.org/10.31117/neuroscirn.v8i4.454

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 4 (2025): Regular Issue

Section

Case Notes

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Copyright (c) 2025 Siew Chung Mah, Jasmine Elenore Parrott, Zhi Ying Lim, Wei Siong Ng, Hafidah Umar, Muhammad Tahir Khalily, Faiz Mustafar

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