Pain Research and Management (Jan 2012)

Executive and Attentional Functions in Chronic Pain: Does Performance Decrease with Increasing Task Load?

  • Joukje M Oosterman,
  • Laura C Derksen,
  • Albert JM van Wijck,
  • Roy PC Kessels,
  • Dieuwke S Veldhuijzen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/962786
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 3
pp. 159 – 165

Abstract

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BACKGROUND: Diminished executive function and attentional control has been reported in chronic pain patients. However, the precise pattern of impairment in these aspects of cognition in chronic pain remains unclear. Moreover, a decline in psychomotor speed could potentially influence executive and attentional control performance in pain patients.