Evaluating decision-making differences in fibromyalgia patients and healthy individuals

Impaired Decision-making Capacity in Patients Suffering From Fibromyalgia: a Cross-sectional Study

Observational Vrije Universiteit Brussel · NCT06118970

This study is trying to see how decision-making skills differ between people with fibromyalgia and healthy individuals by using specific tasks and questionnaires.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment90 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorVrije Universiteit Brussel Academic / other
Locations1 site (Brussels, Brussels Capital)
Trial IDNCT06118970 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to assess decision-making skills in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and compare their performance to healthy controls. Researchers will utilize neuropsychological tasks, including the Iowa Gambling Task and Stroop task, to evaluate how emotional contexts influence decision-making and the time taken to make choices. The study seeks to understand cognitive impairments related to decision-making in fibromyalgia, which have been less explored in existing literature. Participants will be required to complete self-report questionnaires alongside the tasks.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia who can communicate in English, Dutch, or French.

Not a fit: Patients with other chronic pain conditions or primary psychiatric/neurological disorders may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance understanding of cognitive impairments in fibromyalgia, potentially leading to better-targeted interventions for patients.

How similar studies have performed: While cognitive impairments in fibromyalgia have been noted, this specific focus on decision-making processes is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested in prior studies.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Fibromyalgia syndrome (confirmed by a medical diagnosis);
* Able to understand English, Dutch or French;
* Signed an informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Other diagnoses (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, post-cancer pain, as well as patients with primary psychiatric/neurological conditions or psychopathological disorders);
* History of substance abuse or pathological gambling;
* Color blindness;
* Not have pain currently or have a recent history of pain (ONLY FOR HEALTY CONTROL GROUP).

Where this trial is running

Brussels, Brussels Capital

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions FibromyalgiaDecision makingStroop taskIowa gambling task
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.