Skip to main content
Log in

Spatial versus verbal memory impairments in patients with fibromyalgia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Rheumatology International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mounting evidence suggests that individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) have impairments in general cognitive functions. However, few studies have explored the possibility of dissociation between verbal and visuospatial memory impairments in FM. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the asymmetrical impairment of cognitive functions between verbal and visuospatial memory and between short-term and long-term memory. Neuropsychological assessments were carried out on 23 female patients with FM and 24 healthy female controls. Verbal memory abilities were assessed using the Korean version of the Rey auditory verbal learning test (KAVLT) and digit span task, and visuospatial memory abilities were assessed using the Korean version of the Rey complex figure test (KCFT) and spatial span task. The analysis of covariance was used to assess group differences in performance on cognitive tests after controlling for depression. The two groups did not significantly differ in terms of age, years of education, or in their estimated verbal and performance IQ, but FM patients reported more severe depressive symptoms than did controls on the Beck depression inventory. Significant group differences were found in immediate and delayed recall on the KCFT (F 1,44 = 6.49, p = 0.014 and F 1,44 = 6.96, p = 0.011, respectively), whereas no difference was found in immediate and delayed recall on the KAVLT. In terms of short-term memory, neither the digit span task nor spatial span task showed any difference between groups, regardless of whether repetition was forward or backward. These findings suggest that spatial memory abilities may be more impaired than verbal memory abilities in patients with FM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wolfe F, Smythe HA, Yunus MB, Bennett RM, Bombardier C, Goldenberg DL, Tugwell P, Campbell SM, Abeles M, Clark P et al (1990) The American college of rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. Report of the multicenter criteria committee. Arthritis Rheum 33(2):160–172

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bennett RM, Jones J, Turk DC, Russell IJ, Matallana L (2007) An internet survey of 2,596 people with fibromyalgia. BMC musculoskeletal disorders 8:27

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Katz RS, Heard AR, Mills M, Leavitt F (2004) The prevalence and clinical impact of reported cognitive difficulties (fibrofog) in patients with rheumatic disease with and without fibromyalgia. J Clin Rheumatol 10(2):53–58

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sletvold H, Stiles TC, Landro NI (1995) Information processing in primary fibromyalgia, major depression and healthy controls. J Rheumatol 22(1):137–142

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Grace GM, Nielson WR, Hopkins M, Berg MA (1999) Concentration and memory deficits in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 21(4):477–487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Dick B, Eccleston C, Crombez G (2002) Attentional functioning in fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and musculoskeletal pain patients. Arthritis Rheum 47(6):639–644

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Park DC, Glass JM, Minear M, Crofford LJ (2001) Cognitive function in fibromyalgia patients. Arthritis Rheum 44(9):2125–2133

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Glass JM (2009) Review of cognitive dysfunction in fibromyalgia: a convergence on working memory and attentional control impairments. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 35(2):299–311

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Glass JM (2008) Fibromyalgia and cognition. J Clin Psychiatry 69(Suppl 2):20–24

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Canovas R, Leon I, Roldan MD, Astur R, Cimadevilla JM (2009) Virtual reality tasks disclose spatial memory alterations in fibromyalgia. Rheumatology (Oxford, England) 48(10):1273–1278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Landro NI, Stiles TC, Sletvold H (1997) Memory functioning in patients with primary fibromyalgia and major depression and healthy controls. J Psychosom Res 42(3):297–306

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Dick BD, Verrier MJ, Harker KT, Rashiq S (2008) Disruption of cognitive function in fibromyalgia syndrome. Pain 139(3):610–616

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Suhr JA (2003) Neuropsychological impairment in fibromyalgia: relation to depression, fatigue, and pain. J Psychosom Res 55(4):321–329

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Luerding R, Weigand T, Bogdahn U, Schmidt-Wilcke T (2008) Working memory performance is correlated with local brain morphology in the medial frontal and anterior cingulate cortex in fibromyalgia patients: structural correlates of pain-cognition interaction. Brain 131(Pt 12):3222–3231

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Kessels RP, van Zandvoort MJ, Postma A, Kappelle LJ, de Haan EH (2000) The Corsi block-tapping task: standardization and normative data. Appl Neuropsychol 7(4):252–258

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Emad Y, Ragab Y, Zeinhom F, El-Khouly G, Abou-Zeid A, Rasker JJ (2008) Hippocampus dysfunction may explain symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome. A study with single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Rheumatol 35(7):1371–1377

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lutz J, Jager L, de Quervain D, Krauseneck T, Padberg F, Wichnalek M, Beyer A, Stahl R, Zirngibl B, Morhard D, Reiser M, Schelling G (2008) White and gray matter abnormalities in the brain of patients with fibromyalgia: a diffusion-tensor and volumetric imaging study. Arthritis Rheum 58(12):3960–3969

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Schmidt-Wilcke T, Luerding R, Weigand T, Jurgens T, Schuierer G, Leinisch E, Bogdahn U (2007) Striatal grey matter increase in patients suffering from fibromyalgia—a voxel-based morphometry study. Pain 132(Suppl 1):S109–S116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wood PB, Ledbetter CR, Glabus MF, Broadwell LK, Patterson JC 2nd (2009) Hippocampal metabolite abnormalities in fibromyalgia: correlation with clinical features. J Pain 10(1):47–52

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Cohen H, Neumann L, Shore M, Amir M, Cassuto Y, Buskila D (2000) Autonomic dysfunction in patients with fibromyalgia: application of power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Semin Arthritis Rheum 29(4):217–227

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. McLean SA, Williams DA, Harris RE, Kop WJ, Groner KH, Ambrose K, Lyden AK, Gracely RH, Crofford LJ, Geisser ME, Sen A, Biswas P, Clauw DJ (2005) Momentary relationship between cortisol secretion and symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia. Arthritis Rheum 52(11):3660–3669

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Robinson MJ, Edwards SE, Iyengar S, Bymaster F, Clark M, Katon W (2009) Depression and pain. Front Biosci 14:5031–5051

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kentros CG, Agnihotri NT, Streater S, Hawkins RD, Kandel ER (2004) Increased attention to spatial context increases both place field stability and spatial memory. Neuron 42(2):283–295

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Bae SC, Lee JH (2004) Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Korean fibromyalgia impact questionnaire in women patients with fibromyalgia for clinical research. Qual Life Res 13(4):857–861

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Burckhardt CS, Clark SR, Bennett RM (1991) The fibromyalgia impact questionnaire: development and validation. J Rheumatol 18(5):728–733

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Lee Y, Song J (1991) A study of the reliability and the validity of the BDI, SDS, and MMPI-D scales. Korean J Clin Psychol 10(1):98–113

    Google Scholar 

  27. Yun YH, Lee MK, Chun HN, Lee YM, Park SM, Mendoza TR, Wang XS, Cleeland CS (2008) Fatigue in the general Korean population: application and normative data of the brief fatigue inventory. J Pain Symptom Manage 36(3):259–267

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Yun YH, Wang XS, Lee JS, Roh JW, Lee CG, Lee WS, Lee KS, Bang SM, Mendoza TR, Cleeland CS (2005) Validation study of the Korean version of the brief fatigue inventory. J Pain Symptom Manage 29(2):165–172

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Yeom TH, Park YS, Oh KJ, Kim JG, Lee YH (1992) The manual for Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Korean Guidance, Seoul

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ha KS, Kwon JS, Lyoo IK, Lee DW, Youn T (2002) Development and standardization process, and factor analysis of the computerized cognitive function test system for Korean adults. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc 41(3):551–562

    Google Scholar 

  31. Kim H (1999) Rey–Kim memory test. Neuropsychology Press, Daegu

    Google Scholar 

  32. Psychological Assessment Resources (2003) Computerized Wisconsin card sort task version 4 (WCST). Psychological Assessment Resources

  33. Shin MS, Park SY, Park SR, Seol SH, Kwon JS (2006) Clinical and empirical applications of the Rey–Osterrieth complex figure test. Nat Protoc 1(2):892–899

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Kyungpook National University Research Fund, 2009.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seung Jae Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kim, SH., Kim, SH., Kim, SK. et al. Spatial versus verbal memory impairments in patients with fibromyalgia. Rheumatol Int 32, 1135–1142 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1762-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1762-1

Keywords

Navigation