In eight patients psychogenic para- or quadriparesis was clinically diagnosed. The following features were identified as positive criteria for psychogenic etiology: (1.) contradictory clinical findings (normal muscle tone, normal reflexes, no pyramidal signs, alternating muscle power at varying situations of clinical examination etc.), (2.) paradoxical behavior ("belle indifférence"), (3.) normal electrophysiologic, neuroradiologic and cerebrospinal fluid findings. Overemphasizing technical versus clinical diagnosis involves the risk of expensive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and favors fixation on the symptoms.