McBride, Richard L, Horsfield, Sarah, Sandler, Carolina X et al. · Psychiatry research · 2017 · DOI
This study tested whether computer-based brain training exercises could help ME/CFS patients with concentration and memory problems. Thirty-six patients received standard cognitive-behavioral therapy plus exercise therapy, and thirty-six received the same treatment plus online cognitive training. The group that added brain training showed greater improvements in both their self-reported memory and concentration, and also performed better on objective memory and thinking tests.
Cognitive dysfunction is one of the most disabling and under-treated symptoms in ME/CFS. If validated in larger randomized trials, cognitive training could offer patients a non-pharmacological, accessible home-based tool to improve concentration and memory—potentially enabling greater functional recovery and quality of life.
This case-control study does not establish causation or test whether cognitive training is universally effective; selection bias and lack of randomization limit generalizability. The study cannot determine whether improvements were due to the cognitive training itself, natural recovery, increased attention from providers, or expectancy effects. Whether benefits persist beyond the 12-week treatment period remains unknown.
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
McBride, Richard L, Horsfield, Sarah, Sandler, Carolina X, Cassar, Joanne, Casson, Sally, Cvejic, Erin, et al. (2017). Cognitive remediation training improves performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.. Psychiatry research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.08.035
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-mcbride-2017-cognitive-remediation,
author = {McBride, Richard L and Horsfield, Sarah and Sandler, Carolina X and Cassar, Joanne and Casson, Sally and Cvejic, Erin and Vollmer-Conna, Uté and Lloyd, Andrew R},
title = {Cognitive remediation training improves performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Psychiatry research},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2017.08.035},
note = {PubMed: 28830024},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/mcbride-2017-cognitive-remediation},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/mcbride-2017-cognitive-remediation
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