Abstract

GOULART, Rubens; PESSOA, Cinthia  and  LOMBARDI JUNIOR, Império. Neuropsychological assessment of patients with fibromyalgia. Estud. psicol. (Natal) [online]. 2017, vol.22, n.3, pp. 264-273. ISSN 1413-294X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.22491/1678-4669.20170027.

The aim of the present study was to investigate associations among symptoms of depression, anxiety, pain perception and cognitive impairment in patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. We evaluated 32 women volunteers with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia based on the criteria of the ACR. The control group was matched to the patient group for age, schooling and income. The volunteers were submitted to a neuropsychological battery focused on Memory, Attention, Executive Functions, Perceived Pain, Anxiety and Depression. Anxiety was more relevant than depression in the group of women with fibromyalgia, the perception of pain was very high and cognitive impairment was more evident in executive functions, especially planning and inhibitory control. Memory and attention were more impaired in the fibromyalgia group, especially on tasks that require executive functions. Patients with fibromyalgia seem to be less efficient in tasks related to executive functions.

Keywords : neuropsychology; fibromyalgia; executive function.

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