Cognitive profile in functional disorders

IntroductionPatients with functional disorders (FD) often experience cognitive problems such as forgetfulness and distractibility alongside physical symptoms that cannot be attributed to a known somatic disease.MethodTest scores of cognitive tests and psychiatric rating scales of 100 outpatients diagnosed with a functional disorder were compared to a control group (n = 300) of patients with other diagnoses and to test norms for the general population.ResultsOut of the 100 patients with functional disorders, 59 reported significant subjective cognitive symptoms. A moderate difference (d = 0.5-0.7) was found between the FD group mean and the population mean in processing speed tests, as well as in four psychiatric rating scales (depression, anxiety, phobias, somatisation) but there were no statistically significant differences in verbal and nonverbal reasoning or in logical memory. Somatisation and logical verbal memory scores were higher in the FD group compared to the control group.ConclusionThe findings of the study suggest that a decline in processing speed is a central feature in the cognitive profile of patients with functional disorders.

Automated summary

Patients with functional disorders often experience cognitive problems, and the study suggests that a decline in processing speed is a central feature in their cognitive profile.