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Published on: May 4, 2020
Stress as a predictor of cognitive functioning in lupus
M I Peralta-Ramírez1, M A Coín-Mejías, J Jiménez-Alonso
1School of Psychology, University of Granada, Spain. mperalta@ugr.es
Lupus
|January 11, 2007
Summary
Daily stress negatively impacts cognitive function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Increased stress correlates with lower scores in visual memory, fluency, and attention speed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease impacting multiple organs.
- Cognitive dysfunction is a common but often overlooked symptom in SLE patients.
- The influence of daily stress on SLE-related cognitive changes requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between daily stress and cognitive functioning in SLE patients.
- To determine if daily stress predicts deficits in attention and memory.
- To control for the effects of depression and anxiety on cognitive performance.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 21 SLE patients reported daily stress levels over six months.
- Neuropsychological assessments evaluated attention and visual memory.
- Depression and anxiety symptom scores were recorded concurrently.
Main Results:
- Daily stress significantly predicted cognitive performance in SLE patients.
- Higher cumulative daily stress was negatively correlated with delayed visual recall, visual fluency, and attention speed.
- The predictive power of daily stress on these cognitive measures was independent of depression and anxiety levels.
Conclusions:
- Daily stress is a significant factor contributing to cognitive impairments in SLE.
- Specifically, visual memory, fluency, and attention speed are negatively affected by increased daily stress.
- Findings highlight the importance of stress management in maintaining cognitive health for individuals with SLE.
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