<P> Conversion symptoms typically do not conform to known anatomical pathways and physiological mechanisms . It has sometimes been stated that the presenting symptoms tend to reflect the patient's own understanding of anatomy and that the less medical knowledge a person has, the more implausible are the presenting symptoms . However, no systematic studies have yet been performed to substantiate this statement . </P> <P> Conversion disorder presents with symptoms that typically resemble a neurological disorder such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy or hypokalemic periodic paralysis . The neurologist must carefully exclude neurological disease, through examination and appropriate investigations . However, it is not uncommon for patients with neurological disease to also have conversion disorder . </P> <P> In excluding neurological disease, the neurologist has traditionally relied partly on the presence of positive signs of conversion disorder, i.e. certain aspects of the presentation that were thought to be rare in neurological disease but common in conversion . The validity of many of these signs has been questioned, however, by a study showing that they also occur in neurological disease . One such symptom, for example, is la belle indifférence, described in DSM - IV as "a relative lack of concern about the nature or implications of the symptoms". In a later study, no evidence was found that patients with functional symptoms are any more likely to exhibit this than patients with a confirmed organic disease . In DSM - V, la belle indifférence was removed as a diagnostic criteria . </P> <P> Another feature thought to be important was that symptoms tended to be more severe on the non-dominant (usually left) side of the body . There have been a number of theories about this, such as the relative involvement of cerebral hemispheres in emotional processing, or more simply, that it was "easier" to live with a functional deficit on the non-dominant side . However, a literature review of 121 studies established that this was not true, with publication bias the most likely explanation for this commonly held view . Although agitation is often assumed to be a positive sign of conversion disorder, release of epinephrine is a well - demonstrated cause of paralysis from hypokalemic periodic paralysis . </P>

La belle indifference describes which feature of a psychological disorder