title: Cognitive performance in women aged 50 years and older with and without fibromyalgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Persons with fibromyalgia (FM) report having cognitive dysfunction. Neuropsychological performance was compared across a variety of domains in 43 women with FM (Mage = 63 years) and in 44 women without FM (Mage = 65 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures included explicit memory (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease [CERAD] immediate/delayed recall, delayed recognition), aspects of executive function including interference/inhibition (Stroop Color/Word test), working memory (Digit Span Forward/Backward), set-shifting/complex sequencing (Trails B), monitoring (verbal fluency: naming animals), processing speed (Trails A, Digit Symbol Substitution Coding), and problem solving (Everyday Problems Test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with FM performed more poorly than controls on executive function (Stroop Color/Word) and one processing speed measure (Digit Symbol Substitution Coding).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results partly support altered cognitive function in FM. Mixed findings across cognitive domains among individuals with or without FM is consistent with the literature and suggest that factors beyond those typically controlled for (e.g., heterogeneity in FM) may be influencing findings. Future research is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Correspondence should be addressed to Barbara Cherry, Department of Psychology, California State University, Fullerton, P.O. Box 6846, Fullerton, CA 92834-6846. E-mail: bcherry@fullerton.edu.
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cherry
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zettel-Watson
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roberson
authors.forename: Dana N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Rutledge
authors.forename: Caroline J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D057190:Stroop Test; D014145:Trail Making Test