ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

141–160 of 404 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Do adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) and co-morbid anxiety and/or depressive symptoms think differently to those who do not have co-morbid psychopathology?

Loades, Maria E, Stallard, Paul, Morris, Richard et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2020

This study looked at how adolescents with ME/CFS think about their symptoms, comparing those who also have anxiety or depression with those who don't. Teenagers with both ME/CFS and anxiety/depression were more likely to have negative thoughts in general and worry more about their fatigue causing damage or embarrassment. The thinking patterns of both groups together explained about 43% of why some teens developed anxiety or depression alongside their ME/CFS.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Self-reported cognitive impairment in individuals with Primary Immunodeficiency Disease.

Sowers, Kerri L, Gayda-Chelder, Christine A, Galantino, Mary Lou·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2020

This study looked at whether people with Primary Immunodeficiency Disease (PID)—a condition where the immune system doesn't work properly—experience brain fog or memory problems. Researchers asked 292 people with PID to fill out surveys about their memory, mood, and anxiety. They found that people with PID reported significantly more memory problems and higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to people without these conditions.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Feedback on underperformance in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The impact on subsequent neuropsychological test performance.

Roor, Jeroen J, Knoop, Hans, Dandachi-FitzGerald, Brechje et al.·Applied neuropsychology. Adult·2020

This study looked at whether telling ME/CFS patients about their poor performance on memory tests could help them do better on brain function tests afterward. Researchers gave one group of patients feedback about underperformance while another group got no feedback. The group that received feedback showed meaningful improvement in processing speed (how quickly the brain handles information), suggesting that simple feedback might help doctors get a more accurate picture of a patient's actual cognitive abilities.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Health-related quality of life in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an Australian cross-sectional study.

Eaton-Fitch, N, Johnston, S C, Zalewski, P et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2020

This Australian study of 480 people with ME/CFS found that the condition severely impacts quality of life across all major areas—physical functioning, emotional well-being, pain, and energy levels. People with ME/CFS scored much lower on quality of life measures compared to the general population, with the lowest scores for physical activities and fatigue. The study identified specific symptoms like cognitive difficulties, sleep problems, and cardiovascular issues that are most strongly linked to reduced quality of life.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive and behavioral coping in people with Chronic fatigue syndrome: An exploratory study searching for intervention targets for depressive symptoms.

Kraaij, Vivian, Bik, Janneke, Garnefski, Nadia·Journal of health psychology·2019

This study looked at how 30 people with ME/CFS cope with depression by using different thinking and behavior strategies. The researchers found that the way people think about and reframe their problems has a bigger impact on depression than what they do. Focusing on positive aspects, looking at problems in a different light, and avoiding catastrophizing (imagining the worst) seemed to help the most.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A cluster analysis of serious adverse event reports after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Danish girls and young women, September 2009 to August 2017.

Ward, Daniel, Thorsen, Nicklas Myrthue, Frisch, Morten et al.·Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin·2019

This study examined adverse event reports submitted to Danish health authorities after HPV vaccination between 2009 and 2017. Researchers found that fatigue, dizziness, and headache were common symptoms reported, and noticed that some clusters of reports—particularly those mentioning cognitive problems and sleep issues—were submitted during periods of increased media coverage about vaccine safety concerns.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Adolescent and parent factors related to fatigue in paediatric multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome: A comparative study.

Carroll, Susan, Chalder, Trudie, Hemingway, Cheryl et al.·European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society·2019

This study compared teenagers with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experienced fatigue, teenagers with ME/CFS, and healthy teenagers to understand what factors contribute to severe fatigue. Researchers found that teenagers with MS who were fatigued and teenagers with ME/CFS had very similar patterns of fatigue and unhelpful thinking patterns about their symptoms, but teenagers with ME/CFS had normal brain function while those with MS had some cognitive difficulties. The study suggests that psychological approaches used successfully in ME/CFS might also help teenagers with MS who experience fatigue.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

The Impact of a Structured Exercise Programme upon Cognitive Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Zalewski, Paweł, Kujawski, Sławomir, Tudorowska, Malwina et al.·Brain sciences·2019

This study tested whether a 16-week structured exercise program could help improve 'brain fog' and thinking problems that many people with ME/CFS experience. Of 53 patients who started the program, 34 completed it. Tests showed that those who finished the program had modest improvements in attention and processing speed, particularly in how quickly and accurately they could respond to visual tasks.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.

Rasouli, Omid, Gotaas, Merethe Eide, Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin et al.·Neuropsychology·2019

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.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Impairments in cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome are common, not related to co-morbid depression but do associate with autonomic dysfunction.

Robinson, Lucy J, Gallagher, Peter, Watson, Stuart et al.·PloS one·2019

This study found that people with ME/CFS often experience slowing in thinking speed and processing information, particularly in tasks requiring quick reactions. Importantly, these cognitive difficulties are not caused by depression—even patients without depression showed the same thinking problems. The researchers discovered that problems with heart rate regulation (how the body's autonomic nervous system works) were linked to these cognitive difficulties.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study nested within a cohort.

Loades, Maria Elizabeth, Rimes, Katharine, Lievesley, Kate et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2019

This study looked at how adolescents with ME/CFS think about and respond to their symptoms, compared to teenagers with asthma. Researchers found that young people with ME/CFS tend to have unhelpful thought patterns—like believing symptoms cause permanent damage—and unhelpful behaviors like pushing through activity or avoiding it completely. These unhelpful patterns were linked to more fatigue and disability over a 3-month follow-up period.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome do not score higher on the autism-spectrum quotient than healthy controls: Comparison with autism spectrum disorder.

Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre, Maroti, Daniel, Bejerot, Susanne·Scandinavian journal of psychology·2018

This study compared autistic traits in people with ME/CFS, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and healthy people. Although ME/CFS and autism share some overlapping symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and sensitivity to sound and light, the study found that people with ME/CFS did not show more autistic traits than healthy controls. People with autism did score higher on the autism assessment, showing the test can distinguish between the conditions.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cross-Cultural Study of Information Processing Biases in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Dutch and UK Chronic Fatigue Patients.

Hughes, Alicia M, Hirsch, Colette R, Nikolaus, Stephanie et al.·International journal of behavioral medicine·2018

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS pay attention to and interpret information related to illness and symptoms. Researchers in the Netherlands and UK tested whether people with ME/CFS tend to notice illness-related words more quickly and interpret unclear situations in ways related to their symptoms. They found that people with ME/CFS did show these patterns, and importantly, these patterns were similar in both countries, suggesting this is a consistent feature of the condition rather than a cultural difference.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A Concurrent Cognitive Task Does Not Perturb Quiet Standing in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rasouli, Omid, Fors, Egil A, Vasseljen, Ottar et al.·Pain research & management·2018

This study examined how well people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia can balance while standing still, and whether doing mental math at the same time makes balancing harder. Researchers found that both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia patients had slightly worse balance control than healthy people, but surprisingly, adding a math task didn't make their balance worse—unlike what researchers expected.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Visual Aspects of Reading Performance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

Wilson, Rachel L, Paterson, Kevin B, McGowan, Victoria et al.·Frontiers in psychology·2018

This study tested reading and vision abilities in 27 people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy controls. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS read more slowly and had greater difficulty reading when text was crowded together, even though their basic vision was similar to controls. These findings suggest that vision-related reading problems in ME/CFS are real and measurable, not just imagined.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Static and dynamic functional connectivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: use of arterial spin labelling fMRI.

Boissoneault, Jeff, Letzen, Janelle, Lai, Song et al.·Clinical physiology and functional imaging·2018

Researchers used a brain imaging technique to compare how the brains of people with ME/CFS and healthy people process information during a tiring mental task. They found that people with ME/CFS had different patterns of communication between brain regions, and these patterns were linked to how fatigued they felt. This suggests that the fatigue experienced in ME/CFS may be related to how different parts of the brain work together.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive remediation training improves performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

McBride, Richard L, Horsfield, Sarah, Sandler, Carolina X et al.·Psychiatry research·2017

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 Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Prevalence of and risk factors for severe cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS and MS.

Jain, Vageesh, Arunkumar, Amit, Kingdon, Caroline et al.·BMC neurology·2017

This study compared cognitive problems (like trouble concentrating and memory issues) and sleep difficulties in people with ME/CFS and people with MS. Researchers found that cognitive and sleep problems were much more common in ME/CFS patients—98% reported trouble concentrating, and 55% reported severe unrefreshing sleep. The study also identified that ME/CFS patients who were older, current smokers, or had lower incomes were more likely to experience severe symptoms.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Altered right anterior insular connectivity and loss of associated functions in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wortinger, Laura Anne, Glenne Øie, Merete, Endestad, Tor et al.·PloS one·2017

This study looked at how the brains of adolescents with ME/CFS work differently compared to healthy teenagers. Researchers used brain imaging to examine a region called the anterior insula, which helps coordinate motivation and responses to pain. They found that this brain region had weaker connections to areas involved in thinking and decision-making in ME/CFS patients, which may help explain why patients struggle with concentration, pain sensitivity, and physical activity.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Are current chronic fatigue syndrome criteria diagnosing different disease phenotypes?

Maclachlan, Laura, Watson, Stuart, Gallagher, Peter et al.·PloS one·2017

This study looked at whether different diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS are actually identifying the same disease or different versions of it. Researchers tested 49 ME/CFS patients and 10 healthy controls using questionnaires and objective tests of heart function and thinking ability. They found that patients reported more autonomic and cognitive symptoms than controls, but objective heart tests didn't show clear differences—though different patient subgroups did show different levels of impairment on cognitive testing.

Autonomic Nervous SystemDiagnosticsCognitive Impairment

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Do adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) and co-morbid anxiety and/or depressive symptoms think differently to those who do not have co-morbid psychopathology?

Self-reported cognitive impairment in individuals with Primary Immunodeficiency Disease.

Feedback on underperformance in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The impact on subsequent neuropsychological test performance.

Health-related quality of life in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an Australian cross-sectional study.

Cognitive and behavioral coping in people with Chronic fatigue syndrome: An exploratory study searching for intervention targets for depressive symptoms.

A cluster analysis of serious adverse event reports after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Danish girls and young women, September 2009 to August 2017.

Adolescent and parent factors related to fatigue in paediatric multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome: A comparative study.

The Impact of a Structured Exercise Programme upon Cognitive Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.

Impairments in cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome are common, not related to co-morbid depression but do associate with autonomic dysfunction.

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study nested within a cohort.

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome do not score higher on the autism-spectrum quotient than healthy controls: Comparison with autism spectrum disorder.

Cross-Cultural Study of Information Processing Biases in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Dutch and UK Chronic Fatigue Patients.

A Concurrent Cognitive Task Does Not Perturb Quiet Standing in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Visual Aspects of Reading Performance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

Static and dynamic functional connectivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: use of arterial spin labelling fMRI.

Cognitive remediation training improves performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Prevalence of and risk factors for severe cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS and MS.

Altered right anterior insular connectivity and loss of associated functions in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Are current chronic fatigue syndrome criteria diagnosing different disease phenotypes?

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