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. 2019 Dec 19;10(1):4.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci10010004.

The Impact of a Structured Exercise Programme upon Cognitive Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

Paweł Zalewski  1 , Sławomir Kujawski  1 , Malwina Tudorowska  2 , Karl Morten  3 , Małgorzata Tafil-Klawe  4 , Jacek J Klawe  1 , James Strong  3 , Fernando Estévez-López  5 , Modra Murovska  6 , Julia L Newton  7 , The European Network On Me/Cfs Euromene
Affiliations

The Impact of a Structured Exercise Programme upon Cognitive Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

Paweł Zalewski et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

Background: Cognitive function disturbance is a frequently described symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). In this study, the effects of a structured exercise programme (SEP) upon cognitive function in ME/CFS patients was examined.

Methods: Out of the 53 ME/CFS patients initiating SEP 34 (64%) completed the 16 week programme. Cognitive function was assessed using a computerized battery test consisting of a Simple Reaction Time (SRT) (repeated three times) and Choice Reaction Time (CRT) measurements, a Visual Attention Test (VAT) and a Delayed Matching to Sample (DMS) assessment.

Results: Statistically significant improvement was noted in the third attempt to SRT in reaction time for correct answers, p = 0.045, r = 0.24. Moreover, significant improvement was noted in VAT reaction time, number of correct answers and errors committed, p = 0.02, omega = 0.03, p = 0.007, r = 0.34 and p = 0.004, r = 0.35, respectively. Non-significant changes were noted in other cognitive tests.

Conclusions: A substantial number of participants were unwilling or unable to complete the exercise programme. ME/CFS patients able to complete the SEP showed improved visual attention both in terms of reaction time and correctness of responses and processing speed of simple visual stimuli.

Keywords: brain fog; cognitive impairment; mental function.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT-type flow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Influence of SEP on reaction time on correct responses in SRT.3. 01_before denotes time point before SEP, while 02_after indicates time point after SEP. Red dots connected by red line indicates mean value, horizontal black line inside the box denotes median value. Green dots before and orange dots after connected by dashed lines denotes results of individual patients. Shape of violin graph indicates distribution of results.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of SEP on number of correct responses in VAT. 01_before denotes time point before SEP, while 02_after indicates time point after SEP. Red dots connected by red line indicates mean value, horizontal black line inside the box denotes median value. Green dots before and orange dots after connected by dashed lines denotes results of individual patients. Shape of violin graph indicates distribution of results.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effects of SEP on errors committed in VAT. 01_before denotes time point before SEP, while 02_after indicates time point after SEP. Red dots connected by red line indicates mean value, horizontal black line inside the box denotes median value. Green dots before and orange dots after connected by dashed lines denotes results of individual patients. Shape of violin graph indicates distribution of results.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effects of SEP on reaction time in correct response in VAT. 01_before denotes time point before SEP, while 02_after indicates time point after SEP. Red dots connected by red line indicates mean value, horizontal black line inside the box denotes median value. Green dots before and orange dots after connected by dashed lines denotes results of individual patients. Shape of violin graph indicates distribution of results.
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