COGNITIVE AND NEUROCHEMICAL FUNCTION IN FIBROMYALGIA

纤维肌痛（FM）是一种风湿性疾病，其特征在于存在 广泛的肌肉骨骼疼痛和压痛点的存在。其他 症状，包括疲劳，睡眠障碍和神经心理 投诉，大大有助于发病率与FM。 FM患者最突出的抱怨之一是 认知能力认知缺陷是导致 FM是认知能力受损。认知缺陷是 FM的基本原理具有一定的可信度，因为越来越多的证据表明， 与慢性病相关的有微妙但重要的认知缺陷， 疲劳综合征（CFS），一种相关的疾病，不能解释为 精神症状。FM患者的认知缺陷有可能 可能由单一或多个中枢神经系统扰动引起 与FM有关在本提案中，我们将认知 功能FM患者的神经内分泌功能的措施。一个基本 提出的一个论点是，FM患者可能既有认知能力， 神经内分泌功能类似于20 - 25岁的对照受试者的神经内分泌功能。 老了30岁事实上，CFS患者的认知测试显示， 这些变化与高龄受试者中观察到的相似。 在两个实验中，FM患者将与年龄和教育进行比较， 匹配的控制，以及教育匹配的老年人。 神经内分泌功能也将被测量，抑郁症也将被测量， 疼痛、疲劳和对记忆功能的信念。这种方法使我们 以确定是否有认知功能的差异， 纤维肌痛患者从别人，以及是否认知老化是一个很好的 了解FM认知效应的模型。另外且 也许更重要的是，将认知方法与 神经内分泌的方法将使我们能够确定是什么机制导致了 认知差异--神经化学的，精神的，或经验 疼痛和疲劳。了解观察到的认知的潜在机制 赤字，而不仅仅是证明有赤字， 这对治疗这种疾病以及 了解其病因。

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a rheumatic disorder characterized by the presence of widespread musculoskeletal pain and the presence of tender points. Other symptoms, including fatigue, sleep disturbance, and neuropsychological complaints, contribute significantly to the morbidity associated with FM. One of the most prominent complaints in patients with FM is impaired cognitive ability. The notion that cognitive deficits are fundamental to FM is impaired cognitive ability. The notion that cognitive deficits are fundamental to FM has some credibility, as there is growing evidence that there are subtle but important cognitive deficits associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a related disorder, that cannot be explained by psychiatric symptoms. It is possible that cognitive defects in FM patients could result from single or multiple central nervous system perturbations associated with FM. In the present proposal, we will correlate cognitive function of FM patients with measures of neuroendocrine function. A basic thesis advanced is that FM patients may have both cognitive and neuroendocrine function similar to that of controls subjects who are 20 to 30 years older. Indeed, cognitive testing in patients with CFS reveals changes similar to those seen in subjects of advanced chronological age. In two experiments, FM patients will be compared to age-and education- matched controls, as well as to education-matched older adults. Neuroendocrine function will be measured as well, as will depression, pain, fatigue, and beliefs about memory function. This approach permits us to determine whether there are differences in cognitive function of fibromyalgia patients from others, and whether cognitive agins is a good model for understanding the cognitive effects of FM. In addition and perhaps more importantly, the integration of a cognitive approach with a neuroendocrine approach will allow us to determine what mechanisms account for the cognitive differences--neurochemical, psychiatric, or experience pain and fatigue. Knowing the mechanisms underlying observed cognitive deficits, rather than merely demonstrating that there are deficits, has important implications for treatment of the disorder as well as for understanding its etiology.