Altay, H T, Toner, B B, Brooker, H et al. · International journal of psychiatry in medicine · 1990 · DOI
This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients who reported memory and concentration problems actually showed these difficulties when tested. Surprisingly, the patients performed better than average on standard cognitive tests, even though they felt they had cognitive problems. The researchers suggested that psychological factors might explain why patients' subjective experience didn't match their test results.
This study directly addresses a common and distressing symptom in ME/CFS—cognitive dysfunction (often called 'brain fog')—by attempting objective measurement. Understanding whether cognitive complaints reflect actual impairment or other factors is crucial for validating patient experiences and guiding appropriate treatment approaches.
This study does not prove that cognitive complaints are purely psychological or without physiological basis. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causation, and the lack of comparison groups (healthy controls, other chronic illnesses) limits interpretation. Additionally, cognitive testing on a single occasion may not capture fluctuating symptoms or cognitive fatigue that worsens with exertion, which is characteristic of ME/CFS.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Altay, H T, Toner, B B, Brooker, H, Abbey, S E, Salit, I E, & Garfinkel, P E (1990). The neuropsychological dimensions of postinfectious neuromyasthenia (chronic fatigue syndrome): a preliminary report.. International journal of psychiatry in medicine. https://doi.org/10.2190/T6GX-JJ2L-VCVV-T81B
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-altay-1990-neuropsychological-dimensions,
author = {Altay, H T and Toner, B B and Brooker, H and Abbey, S E and Salit, I E and Garfinkel, P E},
title = {The neuropsychological dimensions of postinfectious neuromyasthenia (chronic fatigue syndrome): a preliminary report.},
journal = {International journal of psychiatry in medicine},
year = {1990},
doi = {10.2190/T6GX-JJ2L-VCVV-T81B},
note = {PubMed: 2394541},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/altay-1990-neuropsychological-dimensions},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/altay-1990-neuropsychological-dimensions
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