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Working memory deficits in chronic fatigue syndrome: Differentiating between speed and accuracy of information processing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2004

JOHN DELUCA ,
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTODOULOU ,
BRUCE J. DIAMOND ,
ELLIOT D. ROSENSTEIN ,
NEIL KRAMER  and
BENJAMIN H. NATELSON
JOHN DELUCA
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey Department of Neurosciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, New Jersey
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTODOULOU
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, New Jersey Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York
BRUCE J. DIAMOND
Affiliation:
Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, New Jersey Department of Psychology, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey
ELLIOT D. ROSENSTEIN
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
NEIL KRAMER
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
BENJAMIN H. NATELSON
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
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Abstract

To examine the relative influence of speed of information processing versus working memory ability, CFS participants with psychiatric comorbidity (CFS–Psych) and CFS without a psychiatric history (CFS–noPsych) were examined on tests of visual and auditory processing speed and visual and auditory working memory. Compared to healthy controls (HC) and a group of participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the CFS–noPsych group displayed significantly reduced performance on tests of information processing speed, but not on tests of working memory. No significant differences were observed between the CFS–Psych group and any other group in the study. The implications of group heterogeneity on the understanding of cognitive impairment in CFS are discussed. (JINS, 2004, 10, 101–109.)

Keywords

Processing speedWorking memoryCognition
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , January 2004 , pp. 101 - 109
Copyright
© 2004 The International Neuropsychological Society

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