Objectives: The effects of brain tumors located in the supplementary motor area (SMA) have so far been described mainly in the context of motor and speech disorders. There are few studies that have considered other cognitive domains, so this study aimed to fill this gap by focusing on examining attention and working memory in a population of patients with gliomas in the SMA region. Methods: This study included 50 patients diagnosed with gliomas located in the SMA who have not yet had any treatment and 57 demographically matched healthy individuals. A set of neuropsychological tests was conducted to assess attention and working memory: Digit Span from WAIS-R, Visual Elevator from TEA, Verbal Fluency Test (switching condition), and Color Trails Test (CTT). Results: The analyses showed that patients scored lower in most of the evaluated tests and indicators, namely in Digit Span-forward (t = −2.05; p = 0.022), Digit Span-backward (t = −2.63; p = 0.005), CTT-2 (t = 4.24; p = 0.001), CTT-interference (t = 2.31; p = 0.012), Visual Elevator-time (t = 1.83; p = 0.035), Visual Elevator-accuracy (t = −2.42, p = 0.010), and Verbal Fluency-switching (t = −3.41; p = 0.001). A significant relationship was also demonstrated between the grade of tumor malignancy and the results achieved in some of the neuropsychological tests. The lateralization of the tumor, the size of the lesion, and the presence of epilepsy did not prove to be particularly significant. Conclusions: Due to the significant decline in cognitive performance in terms of attention and working memory, we believe that every patient with a tumor in the SMA should undergo a detailed neuropsychological examination, which will profile their functioning and help tailor the best possible psychological care.

Background/Objectives: This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate how individuals with lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) cope with pain and its association with their affective state, especially in relation to the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study also examined whether pain intensity and duration are associated with these affective symptoms and the coping strategies used. Methods: The study included 210 patients with chronic pain due to DDD, one day before scheduled surgery. Patients were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale or Beck Depression Inventory-II with Beck Anxiety Inventory (depending on the research project), the Visual Analog Scale for pain, and the Polish adaptation of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Results: Among participants assessed with the BDI-II, 42.7% exceeded the threshold for at least mild depressive symptoms, compared with 32.3% assessed with the HADS-D. For anxiety symptoms, 73.5% of participants assessed with the BAI and 53.8% assessed with the HADS-A exceeded the threshold for at least mild symptoms. Depressive symptoms were associated with greater average pain intensity and a longer duration of pain, whereas anxiety was positively correlated with all pain measures. The most frequently reported coping strategies were coping self-statements, praying or hoping, and increasing activity levels. Catastrophizing was associated with affective symptoms and pain intensity, whereas coping self-statements were associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Patients with DDD commonly experience significant emotional distress. The findings suggest that catastrophizing is strongly associated with poorer affective state and higher pain intensity, whereas coping self-statements are associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms.