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

Full Abstract

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.

Author information

Author/s: Schmaling, K B (KB); DiClementi, J D (JD); Cullum, C M (CM); Jones, J F (JF);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle 98105.

Grants: U01-AI32244 (Agency:NIAID NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Psychosomatic medicine (Psychosom Med), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: -1994 Sep-Oct; vol 56 (issue 5) : pp 383-8

Dates: Created 1995/01/30; Completed 1995/01/30; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 7809336, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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