Relationship Between Central Sensitization Symptoms and Cognitive Dysfunction in Fibromyalgia

Investigation of the Relationship Between Central Sensitization Symptoms and Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With Fibromyalgia

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between central sensitization parameters and cognitive dysfunction in patients with fibromyalgia.The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do central sensitization symptoms affect cognitive dysfunction in patients with fibromyalgia? To what extent do central sensitization symptoms affect objective and subjective cognitive complaints in fibromyalgia patients? How do cognitive complaints relate to other clinical parameters, including disease severity, in these patients?

Central sensitization is defined as an increase in pain sensitivity with amplification of neuron-derived signals in the central nervous system. Fibromyalgia is a disease characterized by chronic widespread pain, and although its etiology and pathophysiology are still not fully known, it is considered a major member of the group of diseases known as central sensitivity syndromes, which progress with impaired pain regulation.

Fibromyalgia negatively affects the patient's functionality in various ways. One of these is cognitive dysfunction, and previous studies have shown that fibromyalgia patients experience significant deterioration in all parameters related to cognitive function compared to healthy controls. Central sensitization has been shown to be associated with comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and fatigue in many disease groups, including fibromyalgia, and data on its effect on cognitive dysfunction are limited.

A study found that impaired conditioned pain modulation, one of the methods used in the evaluation of central sensitization in fibromyalgia patients, was associated with cognitive dysfunction.In addition, cognitive impairment in these patients is associated with a decrease in the quality of life of the patients and is suggested to be one of the important clinical findings of the disease. Considering all these data, it seems likely that central sensitization negatively affects cognitive function in fibromyalgia, and this study aimed to examine in detail the relationship between central sensitization and cognitive dysfunction in fibromyalgia patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to American College of Rheumatology 2016 criteria
• Being between 18-65 years old
• Being literate
• Accepting to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Concomitant systemic inflammatory disease, central nervous system disease (cortical involvement), active infection and malignancy history
• History of illness that may lead to cognitive impairment
• Being <18 and >65 years old
• Being illiterate
• Not accepting to participate in the study