Volgens een recent gepubliceerde studie van vermoeidheidsexperts uit Nijmegen

is het IQ van jongeren met ME/CVS lager dan verwacht mag worden gezien hun schoolniveau

en ook lager ten opzichte van hun (ingeschatte) IQ voor de ziekte.

Als je daarbij bedenkt dat een deel van de jongeren naar een "lager" niveau is afgezakt,

dan wordt duidelijk dat ME/CVS een enorme invloed heeft op de prestaties van jonge patiënten.

De IQ-daling is niet gerelateerd aan absentie, angst, faalangst of depressie.

De oplossing die de vermoeidheidsdeskundigen aandragen, laat zich gemakkelijk raden...

The impact of chronic fatigue syndrome on cognitive functioning in adolescents.

Eur J Pediatr. 2015 Sep 3. doi: 10.1007/s00431-015-2626-1.

Nijhof LN, Nijhof SL, Bleijenberg G, Stellato RK, Kimpen JL, Pol HE, van de Putte EM.

Abstract

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by persistent fatigue and severe disability.

Most adolescent patients report attention and concentration problems,

with subsequent poor performance at school.

This study investigated the impact of CFS on intellectual capacity by

assessing discrepancies between current intelligence quotient (IQ) and school level and

exploring differences in current IQ and pre-CFS school performance,

compared with healthy individuals.

Current data was cross-sectionally gathered and

compared with retrospective pre-CFS school performance data.

Fifty-nine CFS adolescents and 40 controls were evaluated

on performance on age-appropriate intelligence tests and school level.

Current IQ scores of CFS adolescents were lower than expected on the basis of their school level.

Furthermore, there was a difference in intelligence performance across time

when current IQ scores were compared with pre-CFS cognitive achievement.

Healthy controls did not show any discrepancies.

CONCLUSION:

According to their pre-CFS intelligence assessments,

CFS patients started with appropriate secondary school levels at the age of 12.

Our data suggest that

CFS may be accompanied by a decline in general cognitive functioning.

Given the critical age for intellectual development,

we recommend a timely diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment of CFS in adolescents.

PMID: 26334394

Keywords

Adolescent, School performance, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Cognitive impairment, IQ

What is Known:

• Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

is a debilitating condition

with major impact on social and intellectual development.

 

• Most patients report concentration problems,

with subsequent poor performance at school.

Little is known about the influence of CFS on intellectual performances.

What is New:

• IQ scores of CFS adolescents are lower than

the IQ scores of healthy peers with an equivalent school level.

 

• There is a decrease in intelligence performance across time

when current IQ scores are compared with pre-CFS cognitive achievement.

Healthy controls do not show any discrepancies

between their current IQ, school level and previous cognitive functioning.

This suggest that adolescent

CFS may be accompanied by a decline in general cognitive functioning.

http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00431-015-2626-1.pdf