The role of long ‐term physical exercise on performance and brain activation during the Stroop colour word task in fibromyalgia patients

In this study, we used SCWT and functional magnetic resonance imagingFMRI to investigate the effects of a 15‐week physical exercise intervention on cognitive performance, task‐related cortical activation and distraction‐induced analgesia (DIA) in patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. The exercise intervention yielded reduced fibromyalgia symptoms, improved cognitive processing and increased task‐related activation of amygdala, but no effect on DIA. Our results suggest beneficial effects of physical exercise on cognitive functioning in FM.

Source: Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging - June 18, 2017 Category: Radiology Authors: S. Martinsen, P. Flodin, J. Berrebi, M. L öfgren, I. Bileviciute‐Ljungar, K. Mannerkorpi, M. Ingvar, P. Fransson, E. Kosek Tags: Original Article Source Type: research