Review of Cognitive Dysfunction in Fibromyalgia: A Convergence on Working Memory and Attentional Control Impairments
Section snippets
Importance and impact of dyscognition for fibromyalgia patients
Since 2001, several new reports of dyscognition in FM have been published that verify the importance of these symptoms to patients who have FM. The term dyscognition is used here to refer to the patient-experienced impact of both the self-reported cognitive problems and the dysfunction observed in performance-based measures of cognition and neuropsychologic function. For example, Zachrisson and colleagues4 reported a 95% incidence rate for “Concentration Difficulties” and a 93% incidence rate
Which cognitive mechanisms are most affected by fibromyalgia?
Along with the growing awareness of the salience of dyscognition symptoms described above, there have been some new studies of cognitive performance in FM. Remarkably, these studies have been quite consistent with our observation in 2001 that the most marked impairment was seen on measures of working memory, followed by episodic memory, and access to semantic memory. In addition, a new focus has emerged that points to a particular difficulty in dealing with distracting information. The studies
Why do fibromyalgia patients experience cognitive problems?
Many of the common comorbid symptoms in FM, such as depressed mood, anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep, and pain, have the potential to negatively impact cognitive function. Several studies have examined these variables and are discussed below.
Can computerized batteries test cognitive function in fibromyalgia?
There are now several companies with computerized batteries of neuropsychologic tests. The advantage of these computer batteries is that they allow easy and identical administration and capture data electronically, eliminating the need for a separate data entry step. These batteries are ideal for large clinical trials whereby data are gathered in multiple sites. To date, only one study of FM using a computerized neuropsychologic battery has been published, with no significant effects between
Neuroimaging in fibromyalgia
Several neuroimaging techniques are available that can be used to connect brain function to cognitive performance, including event-related potentials (ERP) whereby electrical activity in the brain is measured on the scalp and is time locked with events in a cognitive task. For example, Montoya and colleagues45 used ERP to study attention and cognitive processing of pain-related words in subjects who have FM. Both subjects and controls showed enhanced p300 amplitudes to the pain-related words
Can cognitive function be improved in fibromyalgia?
The data presented in this review make it clear that dyscognition is a real and troubling symptom for FM sufferers. The obvious question is, what can be done about it? Unfortunately there are still very few data that address this question. In a study with chronic pain subjects, Dick and Rashiq58 found no improvement in cognitive function with short-term local analgesia. On a more positive note, Munguia-Izquierdo and Lagaz-Arrese13, 14 found that aquatic therapy (exercise in warm water) improved
Summary
The evidence continues to mount that dyscognition is a real and troubling symptom in FM, and further corroborates earlier speculation that the cognitive mechanisms most affected in FM are working memory, episodic memory, and semantic memory. A new focus that has emerged since our 2001 review is that patients who have FM seem especially sensitive to distraction. There may be a particular difficulty in managing the items that are held in working memory/conscious attention such that distracting or
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Neurophysiological and psychosocial mechanisms of fibromyalgia: A comprehensive review and call for an integrative model
2023, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral ReviewsMirogabalin, a novel ligand for α<inf>2</inf>δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, improves cognitive impairments in repeated intramuscular acidic saline injection model rats, an experimental model of fibromyalgia
2021, Biomedicine and PharmacotherapyCitation Excerpt :In addition, Suhr found that depression was related to memory performance [43], and Dick et al. reported relationships among depression, anxiety and cognitive function [44]. On the other hand, Glass et al. concluded that there was no evidence that anxiety or depression could clearly account for the cognitive dysfunction in fibromyalgia [38,40,41]. We previously reported that Sluka model rats developed anxiety-like behaviours in the open field test and elevated plus maze test, but no depression-like behaviours in the forced swimming test [31].