Attentional bias for health-threat in CFS/ME following depressed mood

Abstract

Background: A cognitive account of the persistence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) proposes amplified attention towards somatic information may distort symptom perception and maintain symptoms. Negative mood may further affect cognitive processing by dwelling on health-threat further amplifying attention to symptoms. The study aims to measure an attentional bias towards health-threat in CFS/ME following a depressed or neutral mood induction. Methods: 16 CFS/ME and 34 healthy and 29 asthma participants completed an attentional task that measured allocation and shifting of attention in response to health-threat or neutral information. Findings: CFS group similar to healthy controls, but unlike asthma, is showing an attentional bias towards health-threat F (2, 61) = 4.06, p = .022, ηp2 = .118. Against the prediction, the negative mood appears to decrease the magnitude of the attentional bias in CFS participants. Discussion: Attentional bias manifests under the higher mental load for CFS/ME and healthy individuals, but not for asthma. Depressed mood decreases the bias, against the expectation that it would amplify the focus on somatic symptoms.