Abstract

GARCIA-NIETO, R.; ORTEGA-LADRON DE CEGAMA, E.; RUIZ DE SANTOS, E.  and  LORENZO, J. Mª. Memory impairment in a sample of patients with chronic pain. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2008, vol.15, n.1, pp.5-12. ISSN 1134-8046.

Background: It is relatively common that patients suffering from chronic pain complain about memory loss and concentration problems. Traditionally, this fact has been connected with the medication aimed at the management of pain, with the depressed mood and with pain itself. Aims: To know whether the subjective complaints of memory loss about which these patients complain can be found in their performance in neuropsychological tasks. Secondly, to study whether there is any difference in such tasks between patients suffering from chronic pain with depressed mood and those without depressive symptomatology. Finally, to analyze if there is a relationship between the severity of the depressive symptomatology and the performance in neuropsychological tasks that assess memory and attention. Method: In order to fulfil the previous aims, we have carried out a transversal observational study. In this study, 21 patients with chronic pain and subjective complaints of memory loss referred by the Pain Unit of the "Río Hortega" University Hospital took part. Results: Only those patients suffering from chronic pain and depressed mood performed badly in neuropsychological tasks, especifically in the ones that assess memory in which attention plays a major role. Finally, the data obtained in our study revealed that the more severe the depressive disorder was, the more the performance of the patients in the neuropsychological tasks got worse. Discussion: Subjective complaints of memory loss that these patients state seem to be related to the depressed mood from which many of them suffer. Memory impairment can be explained, at least partially, by the attentional déficit they suffer from.

Keywords : Memory complaints; chronic pain; concentration problems.

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