Attentional processing in cervical spine syndromes.

Fifty-four patients suffering from "common whiplash" were compared with 28 patients complaining of cervical spine syndrome caused by rheumatism (Barré-Lieou syndrome). All patients underwent clinical interview and formal testing. Formal testing included personality profile, self ratings of cognitive impairment and well-being, and tasks on divided attention and speed of information processing. In the "common whiplash" group higher relative incidences of adjustment disorder were found. In both groups scoring for divided attention was low. With regard to self-ratings, the group suffering from Barré-Lieou syndrome hardly indicated any problems while the "common whiplash" group showed significant impairment. This difference of self-ratings was assumed to reflect the different modes of development of the investigated syndromes: in the group with cervical syndrome due to rheumatism the condition gradually developed giving the patient the possibility to adapt, while in the "common whiplash" group cervical pathology emerged abruptly by impact injury. Adaptation in the latter group was inadequate which in particular explains the appearance of adjustment disorders amongst "common whiplash" patients. Results indicated that headache due to cervical pathology is likely to be responsible for impaired attentional functioning of "common whiplash" patients.