The role of long‐term physical exercise on performance and brain activation during the Stroop colour word task in fibromyalgia patients. (18th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martinsen, S.; Flodin, P.; Berrebi, J.; Löfgren, M.; Bileviciute‐Ljungar, I.; Mannerkorpi, K.; Ingvar, M.; Fransson, P.; Kosek, E.
• Is Part Of: Clinical physiology and functional imaging. Volume 38:Number 3(2018:May)
• Page Start: 508
• Page End: 516
• Publication Date: 2017-06-18
• Subjects: amygdala -- cognitive performance -- fibromyalgia -- functional magnetic resonance imaging -- neuroimaging -- pain -- Stroop task; Physiology, Pathological -- Periodicals; Diagnostic imaging -- Periodicals; 612
• DOI: 10.1111/cpf.12449
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-0961

Abstract

Summary: The Stroop colour word test (SCWT) has been widely used to assess changes in cognitive performance such as processing speed, selective attention and the degree of automaticity. Moreover, the SCWT has proven to be a valuable tool to assess neuronal plasticity that is coupled to improvement in performance in clinical populations. In a previous study, we showed impaired cognitive processing during SCWT along with reduced task‐related activations in patients with fibromyalgia. In this study, we used SCWT and functional magnetic resonance imagingFMRI to investigate the effects of a 15‐week physical exercise intervention on cognitive performance, task‐related cortical activation and distraction‐induced analgesia (DIA) in patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. The exercise intervention yielded reduced fibromyalgia symptoms, improved cognitive processing and increased task‐related activation of amygdala, but no effect on DIA. Our results suggest beneficial effects of physical exercise on cognitive functioning in FM.