Table 1.

Descriptive checklist of eight clinical research studies plus one clinically relevant research study on Functional Neurology approach included in a critical review

1st Author Year Journal	Topic covered	Study subjects:-Type -Age (range) -Origin -Number (males/females)	-Intervention -Control (other than sham) -Sham	-Outcome -How was it assessed?	When was it assessed?	Ethics approval? (with a clear mention of its origin)	Conflict of interest (reported or supposed)
Malkowicz 2006 [20] Intern J Neuroscience	Cortical visual impairment	Intervention group -Pediatric patients diagnosed with cortical visual impairment −13-120 months -Selected from a clinical database −21 (?/?) Control group -Patients diagnosed with cortical visual impairment -? -Unclear − 67 (?/?)	-Individualized at-home intensive visual program, during 4–15 months -Retrospective control sample from a previous published study, probably on the natural course -None	-Visual level -Developmental profile (an evaluation tool, proper to the clinic from where the patients were recruited, which included a visual scale)	-Before -Follow-ups at least every 6 months if treatment lasted that long (only for intervention group, no exact time of follow-up(s) was given for the external control group)	Unclear	No mention about any potential conflict of interest
Daubeny 2010 [21] Int J Disabil Hum Dev	Brain function	Intervention group -Healthy adults -(?-?) -? − 31 (?/?) Control group -Healthy adults -(?-?) -? − 31 (?/?)	−10 upper extremity manipulations -None -Upper extremity sham manipulations with unloaded activator instrument	-Blind-spot size -Blind-spot measurement	-Before -Immediately after	Unclear	Authors reported to have no competing interests However, at least 2 authors are known to have business interest in relation to the topic.
Leisman 2010a [22] Int J Disabil Hum Dev	Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders	Intervention group 1 -Children with ADHD − 6-11 years -Several clinics − 36 (36/0) Intervention group 2 -“Normal” children -Age-matched with the ADHD group -? − 15 (15/0) Control group 1 -Children with ADHD − 6-11 years -Several clinics − 42 (42/0) Control group 2 -“Normal” children -Age-matched with the ADHD group -? − 16 (16/0)	-Motor sequencing training, 3-month course -No motor sequencing training -None	-Signal detection performance -Signal detection task	-Before -After	No information was found	No mention about any potential conflict of interest However, at least 1 author is known to have a business interest in relation to the topic.
Leisman 2010b [23] Int J Adolesc Med Health	Attention deficit-disorders/Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders	-Child patients with ADD/ADHD −6-12 years -Clinics (said to be associated with one of the authors) −122 (94/28)	−12-weeks individualized hemispheric specific remediation program, 3 times/week, 1 h each (i.e. 36 sessions) -None -None	1- Sensory and motor function 2- Academic performance 3- Behaviors 1- Functional assessments of sensory and motor function 2- Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests 3- Brown Attention Deficit Disorders Scales	-Before -After	No information was found	Yes, 1 is reported: Patients came from clinics where 3 of the authors have financial interest in the topic. In addition, the project was funded by an institution with known financial interest in the area.
Carrick 2011 [16] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon	Balance	-Adults −24-52 years -? −25 (16/9)	-Whole body rotation over 40 s -None -None	-Stability and sway -Dynamic computerized posturography system (CAPS™ Professional System)	-Before -After	Unclear	Yes, 1 is reported: Two authors “are currently employed and are part owners of the Vestibular Technologies, LLC” In addition, the project was funded by an institution with known financial interest in this area.
Castellanos 2012 [24] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon	Stated in title: traumatic brain injury but according to Methods: stroke	Intervention group -Adult patients with traumatic brain injury − 18-51 years -? − 15 (?/?) Control group -Healthy volunteers age and gender-matched -Age-matched with the intervention group -? − 14 (?/?)	-Individualized neuropsychological rehabilitation, 3–4 times/week for 1 h/session, during 7–12 months +/− associated with physiotherapy, speech therapy, and/or occupational therapy -“Control group” at baseline only (healthy subjects were not subjected to any intervention) -None	-Complexity and entropy of brain activity -Magneto-encephalography	-Before -After (only for intervention group, control group was assessed only at baseline)	Unclear	No mention about any potential conflict of interest
Carrick 2013 [17] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon	Balance	Study 1: -Healthy adult volunteers −20-60 years -Recruited from advertisements −52 (31/21) Study sample was randomly allocated to 4 groups, details regarding age (range) and gender were not given for each of them. Study 2: -Healthy adult volunteers − 20-61 years -Recruited from advertisements − 56 (33/23) Study sample was randomly allocated to 4 groups, details regarding age (range) and gender were not given for each of them.	Both studies: -Whole body rotation over 40 s for all groups -Each group (4 per study) differed in terms of pitch and yaw planes during whole body rotation -None	Study 1: -Eight posturographic measures Study 2: -Six poturographic measures Both studies: -Dynamic computerized posturography system (CAPS™Professional System)	Both studies: -Before -Immediately after − 1 day after −1 week after	Unclear	No mention about any potential conflict of interest However, at least 1 author is known to have a business interest in relation to the topic. Another 2 have/had a financial interest in the posturography equipment [16].
Sullivan 2013 [18] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon	Migraine	Intervention group -Female adult patients or volunteers, all in midst of a migraine attack − 15-53 years -Referred from local medical clinics or recruited from advertisements − 13 (0/13) Control group -Female adult patients or volunteers, all in midst of a migraine attack − 25-38 years -Referred from local medical clinics or recruited from advertisements − 3 (0/3)	-Pneumatic ear insufflation, provided in roughly 30s intervals with a minimum of 3 insufflations -None -Otoscope with insufflation speculum with no pneumatic pressure applied	-Pain -Visual analog scale	-Before -During (after each insufflation) -30 min after -4 h after -24 h after	Unclear	No mention about any potential conflict of interest
Bousquet 2015 [19] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon	Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders /Autism-spectrum disorders	-Student volunteers with ADHD or ADS (identified with a “right-hemisphere weaknesses”) -Hemisphere integration therapy tutoring center − 7-16 years − 12 (10/2)	-Individualized hemisphere integration therapy, 36 individual/group sessions, 3 times/week, 1 h each, combined with nutritional training and home exercises -None -None	1-Self-perception of academic, sensory, and motor abilities 2-Behavior 3-Cognitive skills 4-Senrory and motor skills 1-Semi-structured interviews 2-Brown Attention Deficit Scales / Gilliam Autism Rating Scales / Gilliam Asperger’s Syndrome Scales 3-Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III 4-Perdue Pegboard performance / Dichotic Word Listening Test / Aerobic, core and balance exercises	-Before -After	No information was found	No mention about any potential conflict of interest

ADHD Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, ADD Attention deficit disorders, ASD Autism-spectrum disorders