Cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: a preliminary comparison

This study used a brief battery of neuropsychological measures to examine the performance of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (N = 16) and patients in a major depressive episode (N = 23). The overall neuropsychological performance of the CFS group was not significantly different from dep...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychosomatic medicine 1994-09, Vol.56 (5), p.383-388
Main Authors: Schmaling, K B, DiClementi, J D, Cullum, C M, Jones, J F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Attention
Cognition Disorders - diagnosis
Cognition Disorders - psychology
Depressive Disorder - diagnosis
Depressive Disorder - psychology
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - diagnosis
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - psychology
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data
Psychometrics
Reference Values
Sick Role
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Summary:This study used a brief battery of neuropsychological measures to examine the performance of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (N = 16) and patients in a major depressive episode (N = 23). The overall neuropsychological performance of the CFS group was not significantly different from depressed patients, and both groups scored within normal limits on most measures. Variability of neuropsychologic performance was in general unrelated to level of depressive symptoms. The results are discussed in terms of the validity of the cognitive criterion for the CFS diagnosis. Subjective complaints of cognitive dysfunction by CFS patients in light of the lack of objective evidence for the same are considered in terms of a somatic vigilance hypothesis.
ISSN:0033-3174
DOI:10.1097/00006842-199409000-00001