Dobbs, B M, Dobbs, A R, Kiss, I · Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS · 2001 · DOI
This study tested memory and thinking skills in 20 people with ME/CFS and compared them to 20 healthy people. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS performed worse on difficult memory tasks, particularly those requiring quick mental switching and staying focused despite distractions. However, their basic memory storage ability was normal.
Cognitive dysfunction ('brain fog') is one of the most bothersome symptoms for ME/CFS patients but has been understudied. This work provides objective evidence that these complaints reflect measurable deficits in executive control, potentially validating patient experiences and opening avenues for targeted cognitive rehabilitation and further mechanistic research.
This study does not establish the cause of these cognitive deficits or whether they change over time. The small sample size (40 total participants) means results may not represent all ME/CFS patients. Correlation between test performance and daily-life cognitive complaints was not measured.
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
Dobbs, B M, Dobbs, A R, & Kiss, I (2001). Working memory deficits associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1355617701733024
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-dobbs-2001-working-memory,
author = {Dobbs, B M and Dobbs, A R and Kiss, I},
title = {Working memory deficits associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1017/s1355617701733024},
note = {PubMed: 11311029},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/dobbs-2001-working-memory},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/dobbs-2001-working-memory
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