Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 10, Issue 01  


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

JOHN  DELUCA  a1 a2 a3 c1 , CHRISTOPHER  CHRISTODOULOU  a1 a3 a4 , BRUCE J.  DIAMOND  a3 a5 , ELLIOT D.  ROSENSTEIN  a6 , NEIL  KRAMER  a6 and BENJAMIN H.  NATELSON  a2
a1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
a2 Department of Neurosciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
a3 Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, New Jersey
a4 Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York
a5 Department of Psychology, William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey
a6 Department of Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York

Article author query
deluca j   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
christodoulou c   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
diamond bj   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
rosenstein ed   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
kramer n   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
natelson bh   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

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.)

(Received October 7 2002)
(Revised March 31 2003)
(Accepted May 13 2003)


Key Words: Processing speed; Working memory; Cognition.

Correspondence:
c1 Reprint requests to: John DeLuca, Ph.D., Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052. E-mail: Jdeluca@kmrrec.org

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