RES: Neuropsychological functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome: a review

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Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Volume 103 Issue 2 Page 84 - February 2001

Neuropsychological functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome: a review

Veronique Michiels, Cluydts

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Abstract:

Objective: In this paper we review critically the current status of

neurocognitive studies in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Method: CFS literature was monitored as part of a large research project

which involved several neuropsychological and psychopathological studies.

The literature survey was the result of several consecutive searches on

Medline and PsycInfo databases.

Results: The neurocognitive studies are reviewed in terms of scientificaly

accepted aspects of attention and memory. In addition, we review possible

explanations for cognitive dysfunction in CFS. This is preceded with a

discussion of the methodological limitations that are considered to explain

inconcistencies across neuropsychological studies in CFS.

Conclusion: The current research shows that slowed processing speed,

impaired working memory and poor learning of information are the most

prominent features of cognitive dysfunctioning in patients with CFS.

Furthermore, to this date no specific pattern of cerebral abnormalities has

been found that uniquely characterizes CFS patients. There is no

overwhelming evidence that fatigue is related to cognitive performance in

CFS, and researchers agree that their performance on neuropsychological

tasks is unlikely to be accounted solely by the severity of the depression

and anxiety.

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