MEMORY FUNCTIONING IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY FIBROMYALGIA AND MAJOR DEPRESSION AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

Memory functioning was assessed in 25 primary fibromyalgia (FM) patien ts by comparing them with 22 major depressed patients and 18 healthy c ontrols. A broad range of short- and long-term memory tasks were inclu ded. Both major depressed and FM patients were significantly impaired on long-term memory tasks requiring effortful processing, compared to healthy controls. When the depressive status of the fibromyalgia patie nts was accounted for, only the subsample with a lifetime major depres sive disorder showed memory impairment as compared with the healthy co ntrols. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.