Korean J Pain.  2009 Apr;22(1):28-32. 10.3344/kjp.2009.22.1.28.

Cognitive Assessment in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Patients

• Moon JY
• Kim YC
• Park MJ
• Lee PB
• Lee SC
• Kang DH
• Shin MS
• Kwon TM

• KMID: 1767813
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2009.22.1.28

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is characterized by severe neuropathic pain and disability, which can result in psychological and behavioral dysfunction. The goal of the present study was to evaluate neurocognitive disability, and to assess the relationship between clinical variables and neuropsychological features in CRPS patients.
METHODS
We investigated the neuropsychological features of 15 CRPS I patients. The neuropsychological tests that we made comprised of a full intelligence quotient, memory quotient, trail-making test A, trail-making test B (TMT-B), and MMPI (Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory).
RESULTS
The results showed severe disability in performance on TMT-B. There was no significant correlation between specific cognitive variables and MMPI scales.
CONCLUSIONS
Decreased performance on TMT-B which shows mental flexibility in the prefrontal lobe exists independently from depressive disorders in CRPS patients.

Keyword

chronic pain; cognitive flexibility; complex regional pain syndrome; executive function; trail making test

MeSH Terms

Chronic Pain
Depressive Disorder
Executive Function
Humans
Intelligence
Memory
MMPI
Neuralgia
Neuropsychological Tests
Pliability
Trail Making Test
Weights and Measures