title: Increased Vulnerability to Pattern-Related Visual Stress in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine vulnerability to pattern-related visual stress in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). A total of 20 ME/CFS patients and 20 matched (age, gender) controls were recruited to the study. Pattern-related visual stress was determined using the Pattern Glare Test. Participants viewed three patterns, the spatial frequencies (SF) of which were 0.3 (low-SF), 2.3 (mid-SF), and 9.4 (high-SF) cycles per degree (c/deg). They reported the number of distortions they experienced when viewing each pattern. ME/CFS patients exhibited significantly higher pattern glare scores than controls for the mid-SF pattern. Mid-high SF differences were also significantly higher in patients than controls. These findings provide evidence of altered visual perception in ME/CFS. Pattern-related visual stress may represent an identifiable clinical feature of ME/CFS that will prove useful in its diagnosis. However, further research is required to establish if these symptoms reflect ME/CFS-related changes in the functioning of sensory neural pathways.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, UK. ch190@le.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Claire V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001248:Asthenopia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D019466:Glare; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000502:physiology*; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Myalgic Encephalomyelitis; pattern-related visual stress