Neuraalisia

Neuraalisia is a term used in speculative neuroscience to denote a hypothetical neurological syndrome characterized by widespread dysregulation of neural signaling that can affect perception, movement, and cognition. The word combines neura- (nerve) with a fictional suffix -alisia, used in neologisms to denote pathological phenomena.

Clinical features include episodic sensory disturbances such as altered tactile or visual processing, along with impaired motor coordination and fluctuating cognitive performance like attention deficits or slowed processing. Symptoms may emerge gradually or in spells and can be triggered by fatigue, stress, or sensory overload. In fictional depictions, the course can be relapsing-remitting or progressive.

Etiology and pathophysiology: Neuraalisia is not an established medical diagnosis. In theoretical discussions, proposed mechanisms include dysregulated functional connectivity between sensorimotor and higher-order networks, imbalances in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, and neuroinflammatory processes or maladaptive plasticity. There is no consensus, and the condition remains speculative.

Diagnosis: There are no formal, validated criteria. In speculative contexts, clinicians would rule out structural brain disease with imaging and electrophysiological testing and infer a functional network disorder from a pattern of multisystem symptoms with otherwise normal findings.

Treatment and prognosis: No evidence-based treatments exist. Management in fiction and theory centers on symptom-targeted approaches such as neuromodulation, medications that modulate neural excitability, cognitive rehabilitation, sleep optimization, and psychosocial support. Prognosis varies in narrative accounts; in real-world terms, there is no established prognosis.

See also: functional neurological disorder, neuralgia, neurasthenia.