Association of physical fitness and fatness with cognitive function in women with fibromyalgia

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the association of fitness and fatness with cognitive function in women with fibromyalgia, and the independent influence of their single components on cognitive tasks. A total of 468 women with fibromyalgia were included. Speed of information processing and working memory (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task), as well as immediate and delayed recall, verbal learning and delayed recognition (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) were assessed. Aerobic fitness, muscle strength, flexibility and motor agility were assessed with the Senior Fitness Test battery. Body mass index, percent body fat, fat-mass index and waist circumference were measured. Aerobic fitness was associated with attention and working memory (all, p < 0.05). All fitness components were generally associated with delayed recall, verbal learning and delayed recognition (all, p < 0.05). Aerobic fitness showed the most powerful association with attention, working memory, delayed recall and verbal learning, while motor agility was the most powerful indicator of delayed recognition. None of the fatness parameters were associated with any of the outcomes (all, p > 0.05). Our results suggest that fitness, but not fatness, is associated with cognitive function in women with fibromyalgia. Aerobic fitness appears to be the most powerful fitness component regarding the cognitive tasks evaluated.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognition
• adipose tissue
• memory
• verbal learning
• physical fitness

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof Marius Henriksen for his input on the final draft of the manuscript. The members of the CTS-545 research group involved in the field work and the study participants are also gratefully acknowledged for their collaboration. Dr Soriano-Maldonado presented the results of this article in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a PhD degree in the Biomedicine Doctoral Programme at the University of Granada, Spain.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [grant number I+D+I DEP2010-15639], the Consejería de Turismo, Comercio y Deporte [grant number CTCD-201000019242-TRA]. Alberto Soriano-Maldonado [grant number FPU12/00963] was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. Inmaculada C. Álvarez-Gallardo [grant number BES-2011-047133], Fernando Estévez-López [grant number BES-2014-067612] and Francisco B. Ortega [grant number RYC-2011-09011] were supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Virginia A. Aparicio was supported by the Andalucía Talent Hub Program, launched by the Andalusian Knowledge Agency, co-funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program, Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions [COFUND–Grant Agreement nº 291780] and the Junta de Andalucía.