Cognitive functioning in severe somatization--a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Somatizing patients often report cognitive complaints but neuropsychological research on somatization is scarce. We investigated somatizing patients for functioning in different cognitive domains.


METHODS
Ten female patients with somatization disorder or undifferentiated somatoform disorder and 10 non-somatizing controls participated in neuropsychological examinations.


RESULTS
The patients performed at a lower level than the controls in tests involving semantic memory, verbal episodic memory and visuo-spatial tasks, and were slower in attentional tasks.


CONCLUSIONS
Somatization patients may suffer from substantial problems in cognitive performance.
Niemi
P M
PM
Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. paivi.niemi@utu.fi
Portin
R
R
Aalto
S
S
Hakala
M
M
Karlsson
H
H
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*