Rasouli, Omid, Gotaas, Merethe Eide, Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin et al. · Neuropsychology · 2019 · DOI
This study tested whether people with ME/CFS who report having trouble thinking and remembering actually show problems on objective cognitive tests. Researchers gave 236 patients questionnaires about memory difficulties and gave them various thinking tests. They found that patients' own reports of cognitive problems didn't strongly match their actual test results, but those with higher fatigue, pain, and depression tended to report more thinking difficulties. The actual cognitive problems found on testing were mainly in speed of thinking and attention.
Understanding the gap between subjective cognitive complaints and objective test results is crucial for ME/CFS patients, as it clarifies that 'brain fog' reports may reflect mood and pain rather than measurable cognitive deficits alone. This finding helps researchers and clinicians better interpret patient complaints and informs whether cognitive interventions should target actual cognitive impairment or the emotional and physical factors driving symptom perception.
This study does not prove that subjective cognitive complaints are purely psychological or invalid—it only shows weak correlation with these specific tests. Cross-sectional design prevents any causal claims about the relationship between fatigue, pain, depression, and cognitive difficulties. The study does not establish whether the observed cognitive deficits worsen over time or resolve with treatment.
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
Rasouli, Omid, Gotaas, Merethe Eide, Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin, Skovlund, Eva, Landrø, Nils Inge, Dåstøl, Pål, et al. (2019). Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.. Neuropsychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000550
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-rasouli-2019-neuropsychological-dysfunction,
author = {Rasouli, Omid and Gotaas, Merethe Eide and Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin and Skovlund, Eva and Landrø, Nils Inge and Dåstøl, Pål and Fors, Egil A},
title = {Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.},
journal = {Neuropsychology},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1037/neu0000550},
note = {PubMed: 31169386},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/rasouli-2019-neuropsychological-dysfunction},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/rasouli-2019-neuropsychological-dysfunction
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