Cognitive functioning in post-polio patients with and without general fatigue

Abstract

Objective and design: This study examined 2 main hypotheses. First, whether patients with post-polio suffering from general fatigue (n=10) demonstrate cognitive deficits compared with patients with post-polio without general fatigue (n=10). Secondly, by systematically varied test order administration we examined whether such differences varied as a function of increasing cognitive load during cognitive testing.

Subjects: Twenty patients diagnosed with post-polio syndrome, 10 with general fatigue and 10 without fatigue.

Results: Neither of the 2 hypotheses were confirmed. The group with general fatigue reported elevated levels of depression. However, no systematic association between level of depression and cognitive performance could be detected.

Conclusion: The results of this study provide no evidence that general fatigue or cognitive load affects cognitive functioning in post-polio.