ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

161–180 of 380 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attention network test: assessment of cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Togo, Fumiharu, Lange, Gudrun, Natelson, Benjamin H et al.·Journal of neuropsychology·2015

This study tested whether a computer-based attention test called the Attention Network Task (ANT) could measure thinking and processing speed problems in ME/CFS patients. Researchers compared 41 ME/CFS patients (some with depression, some without) to 29 healthy controls and found that ME/CFS patients took longer to respond to tasks, especially when the tasks were complex, even though they made the same number of mistakes as controls. This suggests that slowed thinking speed, rather than errors, may be the main cognitive problem in ME/CFS.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuropsychological impairment in female patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary study.

Santamarina-Perez, Pilar, Eiroa-Orosa, Francisco Jose, Rodriguez-Urrutia, Amanda et al.·Applied neuropsychology. Adult·2014

This study looked at thinking and memory problems in 68 women with ME/CFS using standardized cognitive tests. Researchers found that about half of patients had difficulties with attention and motor skills, while 40% struggled with processing information quickly and with executive functions like planning. The severity of fatigue and emotional factors were linked to some of these cognitive difficulties.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

[Impact of the fibromyalgia in the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Faro, Mónica, Sáez-Francàs, Naia, Castro-Marrero, Jesús et al.·Medicina clinica·2014

This study looked at nearly 1,000 ME/CFS patients to see how many also had fibromyalgia (a condition causing widespread pain and fatigue), and whether having both conditions made symptoms worse. They found that about half of the ME/CFS patients also had fibromyalgia, and those patients experienced higher levels of fatigue, pain, sleep problems, and cognitive difficulties. People with both conditions reported a much greater impact on their quality of life compared to those with ME/CFS alone.

SleepCognitive ImpairmentAutonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive functioning in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison between subjective and objective measures.

Cockshell, Susan J, Mathias, Jane L·Neuropsychology·2014

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS who report memory and concentration problems actually perform worse on cognitive tests. Fifty people with ME/CFS and 50 healthy controls completed questionnaires about their cognitive difficulties and took standardized memory and attention tests. Surprisingly, while people with ME/CFS reported significantly more cognitive problems in daily life, both groups performed similarly on the objective tests, and reported problems didn't match test results in either group.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attention processes in chronic fatigue syndrome: attentional bias for health-related threat and the role of attentional control.

Hou, Ruihua, Moss-Morris, Rona, Risdale, Anna et al.·Behaviour research and therapy·2014

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS pay more attention to health-related words and images, and whether difficulty controlling attention might be connected to this pattern. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS do tend to focus more on health-threat words, and many also have trouble with executive attention (the mental control needed to stay focused). Importantly, people with ME/CFS who had weaker attention control showed the strongest focus on health threats.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Psychosocial factors involved in memory and cognitive failures in people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Attree, Elizabeth A, Arroll, Megan A, Dancey, Christine P et al.·Psychology research and behavior management·2014

This study looked at how memory and concentration problems in ME/CFS are connected to emotional and physical factors. Researchers asked 87 people with ME/CFS about their fatigue, mood, anxiety, and support systems, then measured their memory and cognitive problems. They found that fatigue, depression, and a person's sense of personal capability were linked to memory difficulties and thinking problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Postural tachycardia syndrome is associated with significant symptoms and functional impairment predominantly affecting young women: a UK perspective.

McDonald, Claire, Koshi, Sharon, Busner, Lorna et al.·BMJ open·2014

This study looked at 136 people in the UK with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS)—a condition where your heart rate increases too much when you stand up—and found that it causes serious tiredness and functional problems, especially in young women. The researchers compared two groups of PoTS patients and found their symptoms and quality-of-life impacts were similar to those in people with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Importantly, there was no consistent treatment approach across patients, with some taking no medication and others on different drug combinations.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Characterization of fatigue states in medicine and psychiatry by structured interview.

Bennett, Barbara Kaye, Goldstein, David, Chen, Michelle et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2014

This study developed and tested a structured interview tool to help doctors better distinguish between different types of fatigue, including ME/CFS, fatigue after cancer treatment, and depression-related fatigue. Researchers interviewed women with different fatigue conditions and found the tool was very accurate at identifying ME/CFS and depression, though less reliable for cancer-related fatigue. The tool may help doctors more accurately diagnose why patients are experiencing fatigue.

Cognitive ImpairmentDiagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Relationship between autonomic cardiovascular control, case definition, clinical symptoms, and functional disability in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory study.

Wyller, Vegard B, Helland, Ingrid B·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2013

This study looked at how the nervous system controls heart rate in teenagers with ME/CFS and how this relates to their symptoms and disability. Researchers tested 38 teenagers using a tilt test (lying flat then tilting upright) while measuring heart rate changes, and asked them about their symptoms. They found that disability in ME/CFS comes from multiple symptoms—not just fatigue—and that problems with heart rate control are linked to certain symptoms like brain fog and sensitivity to stimulation.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive deficits in chronic fatigue syndrome and their relationship to psychological status, symptomatology, and everyday functioning.

Cockshell, Susan J, Mathias, Jane L·Neuropsychology·2013

Researchers compared thinking and memory skills between 50 people with ME/CFS and 50 healthy people. They found that people with ME/CFS were slower at processing information (like reaction time), but performed normally on other thinking tasks like memory and attention. Interestingly, this slowness was not explained by depression, anxiety, fatigue, or sleep problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Association between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and physical activity level in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ickmans, Kelly, Clarys, Peter, Nijs, Jo et al.·Journal of rehabilitation research and development·2013

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS who have better thinking skills (like memory and reaction time) also tend to be more physically fit or active. Researchers tested 31 women with ME/CFS and 13 healthy women on thinking tasks and physical fitness measures. They found that physical fitness—especially heart and muscle function—was linked to thinking speed, but daily activity levels were not.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Hutchinson, Claire V, Badham, Stephen P·Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry·2013

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have difficulty with visual attention—the ability to focus on and track things they see. Researchers compared 29 patients with ME/CFS to 29 healthy people using eye-tracking tests. The results showed that ME/CFS patients did struggle more with certain types of visual attention tasks, particularly when they had to focus on specific things or search for objects, supporting what many patients report experiencing.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive performance is of clinical importance, but is unrelated to pain severity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ickmans, Kelly, Meeus, Mira, Kos, Daphne et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2013

This study looked at whether cognitive problems (thinking, memory, attention) in women with ME/CFS are related to pain severity. Researchers gave cognitive tests and questionnaires to 29 women with ME/CFS and 17 healthy women. They found that cognitive problems were NOT linked to pain levels, but were connected to fatigue and mental health, suggesting that cognitive difficulties in ME/CFS may work differently than in other chronic pain conditions.

Cognitive ImpairmentPain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitions, behaviours and co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cella, M, White, P D, Sharpe, M et al.·Psychological medicine·2013

This study looked at how often certain thought patterns and behaviors occur in ME/CFS patients, and whether these patterns differ when patients also have depression or anxiety. Researchers surveyed 640 ME/CFS patients and found that more than half had ME/CFS alone, while the rest also had depression and/or anxiety. Different thinking patterns appeared in patients with different mental health combinations—for example, patients with anxiety were more likely to focus heavily on their symptoms, while those with depression were more likely to avoid activities.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Test effort in persons with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when assessed using the Validity Indicator Profile.

Cockshell, Susan J, Mathias, Jane L·Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology·2012

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS perform poorly on thinking tests because they aren't trying hard enough, or because of the illness itself. Researchers gave 54 people with ME/CFS and 54 healthy people a special test designed to measure effort and intention during testing. The results showed that most people in both groups were trying their best, and very few showed signs of not putting in effort—suggesting that low effort is not the reason people with ME/CFS struggle with cognitive tasks.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Reduced cardiac vagal modulation impacts on cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Beaumont, Alison, Burton, Alexander R, Lemon, Jim et al.·PloS one·2012

This study examined whether problems with the heart's automatic nervous system (which controls heart rate) are connected to cognitive difficulties in ME/CFS patients. Researchers measured heart rate variability—the natural variation in time between heartbeats—while 30 ME/CFS patients and 40 healthy controls performed thinking tasks. ME/CFS patients showed slower thinking speeds and unusual heart rate patterns, and their reduced heart rate variability was linked to their cognitive slowness.

Cognitive ImpairmentAutonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Confidence judgment in depression and dysphoria: the depressive realism vs. negativity hypotheses.

Szu-Ting Fu, Tiffany, Koutstaal, Wilma, Poon, Lucia et al.·Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry·2012

This study looked at how accurately people judge their own knowledge and abilities. Researchers compared three groups: healthy people, those with clinical depression, and people with chronic fatigue syndrome who felt sad or low. They found that people with depression were overly critical of themselves, while people with chronic fatigue syndrome were more realistic about their abilities—similar to healthy controls.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Sáez-Francàs, Naia, Alegre, José, Calvo, Natalia et al.·Psychiatry research·2012

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS also have ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), a condition that affects focus and attention. Researchers found that about 30% of ME/CFS patients had ADHD as children, and about 21% still had it as adults. People with ME/CFS who also had ADHD experienced worse depression and anxiety, more severe fatigue, and higher suicide risk than those without ADHD.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Regional grey and white matter volumetric changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome): a voxel-based morphometry 3 T MRI study.

Puri, B K, Jakeman, P M, Agour, M et al.·The British journal of radiology·2012

Researchers used a specialized MRI brain scan to compare 26 ME/CFS patients with 26 healthy volunteers. They found that patients had smaller volumes of brain tissue in specific areas related to vision, memory, and movement coordination. These structural changes in the brain may help explain why ME/CFS patients often experience memory problems and other cognitive difficulties.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Cognitive dysfunction and mental fatigue in childhood chronic fatigue syndrome--a 6-month follow-up study.

Kawatani, Junko, Mizuno, Kei, Shiraishi, Seishi et al.·Brain & development·2011

This study looked at thinking and attention problems in children with ME/CFS using a specialized test that measures how quickly and accurately the brain can process information. Children with ME/CFS performed worse on attention tasks compared to healthy children, especially when they had to switch between different tasks. After 6 months of combined treatment with therapy and medication, children showed improvements in both their thinking ability and fatigue levels.

Cognitive Impairment

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Attention network test: assessment of cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neuropsychological impairment in female patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary study.

[Impact of the fibromyalgia in the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Cognitive functioning in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison between subjective and objective measures.

Attention processes in chronic fatigue syndrome: attentional bias for health-related threat and the role of attentional control.

Psychosocial factors involved in memory and cognitive failures in people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Postural tachycardia syndrome is associated with significant symptoms and functional impairment predominantly affecting young women: a UK perspective.

Characterization of fatigue states in medicine and psychiatry by structured interview.

Relationship between autonomic cardiovascular control, case definition, clinical symptoms, and functional disability in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory study.

Cognitive deficits in chronic fatigue syndrome and their relationship to psychological status, symptomatology, and everyday functioning.

Association between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and physical activity level in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Cognitive performance is of clinical importance, but is unrelated to pain severity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitions, behaviours and co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Test effort in persons with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when assessed using the Validity Indicator Profile.

Reduced cardiac vagal modulation impacts on cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Confidence judgment in depression and dysphoria: the depressive realism vs. negativity hypotheses.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Regional grey and white matter volumetric changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome): a voxel-based morphometry 3 T MRI study.

Cognitive dysfunction and mental fatigue in childhood chronic fatigue syndrome--a 6-month follow-up study.

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