An assessment of cognitive function and mood in chronic fatigue syndrome.
Data were gathered regarding the associates of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with: (1) speed of cognitive processing, (2) motor speed, (3) ability to sustain attention, and (4) mood. Patients were given a brief neuropsychological test battery before and after double-blind treatment with terfenadine or placebo and completed a daily mood rating scale (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) during the study. CFS patients exhibited slower cognitive processing and motor speed and lower positive affect, as compared to data reported from previous studies of healthy subjects and other patient groups; however, CFS patients did not exhibit deficits in sustained attention in comparison to other groups. The CFS patients' ability to attend to verbal versus figural stimuli and mood ratings were different from those reported in studies of patients with depression. Because of methodological limitations, these findings are preliminary, but they encourage further assessment of cognitive dysfunction and mood in CFS.
Marshall
P S
PS
Department of Psychiatry, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA.
Watson
D
D
Steinberg
P
P
Cornblatt
B
B
Peterson
P K
PK
Callies
A
A
Schenck
C H
CH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D016593:Terfenadine