A preliminary investigation of dissociation between subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive impairments in female patients with fibromyalgia: a role of information processing speed

Objective Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterised by widespread pain, and cognitive difficulties represent one of the most common symptoms of FM. However, subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) may not necessarily indicate significant abnormalities in objective cognitive performances, and there is limited research investigating the relationship between these two aspects. This study thus aims to analyse the differences between SCC and objective cognitive performance in FM patients and to explore their associations. Methods A total of 32 FM female patients (age: 50.91 +/- 7.06; years since diagnosis: 4.34 +/- 4.53) recruited in this study underwent a comprehensive assessment covering four domains: pain, depression, trait anxiety, SCC, and objective cognitive functions (memory, executive function, and information processing speed). Results Eighty-seven percent of patients experienced significant negative impacts from pain; meanwhile, 91% and 62% showed marked tendencies towards trait anxiety and depression, respectively. Additionally, 56% of patients reported significantly higher levels of SCC. However, less than one-third of patients demonstrated impairments in various cognitive functions. SCC significantly correlated with pain intensity, depression, information processing speed, and trait anxiety, with pain intensity being a significant predictor (R 2 =0.30). Furthermore, patients with significant SCC exhibited more abnormalities in pain, information processing speed, and trait anxiety compared to those without significant SCC. Conclusion SCC may not necessarily correlate with objective cognitive impairments and might be specifically linked to defective information processing speed. It thus merits that clinical assessments for FM patients should incorporate measurements of information processing speed to gain a comprehensive understanding of SCC in FM patients.