Cited by 53Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic DisordersLong-Term Effects of COVID-19Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control

Cognitive dysfunction in postural tachycardia syndrome

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Arnold, Amy C., Haman, Kirsten, Garland, Emily M., Raj, Vidya, Dupont, William D., Biaggioni, Italo, Robertson, David, Raj, Satish R.·2015·Clinical Science

Abstract

Mental clouding is an almost universal complaint among patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) but remains poorly understood. Thus, we have determined whether POTS patients exhibit deficits during neuropsychological testing relative to healthy subjects. A comprehensive battery of validated neuropsychological tests was administered to 28 female POTS patients and 24 healthy subjects in a semi-recumbent position. Healthy subjects were matched to POTS patients on age and gender. Selective attention, a primary outcome measure, and cognitive processing speed were reduced in POTS patients compared with healthy subjects (Ruff 2&7 Speed t-score: 40±9 compared with 49±8; P=0.009; Symbol Digit Modalities Test t-score: 45±12 compared with 51±8; P=0.011). Measures of executive function were also lower in POTS patients (Trails B t-score: 46±8 compared with 52±8; P=0.007; Stroop Word Color t-score: 45±10 compared with 56±8; P=0.001), suggesting difficulties in tracking and mental flexibility. Measures of sustained attention, psychomotor speed, memory function or verbal fluency were not significantly different between groups. The present study provides evidence for deficits in selective attention and cognitive processing in patients with POTS, in the seated position when orthostatic stress is minimized. In contrast, other measures of cognitive function, including memory assessments, were not impaired in these patients, suggesting selectivity in these deficits. These findings provide new insight into the profile of cognitive dysfunction in POTS and provide the basis for further studies to identify clinical strategies to better manage the mental clouding associated with this condition.

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  • "Brain fog" or perceived cognitive impairment is a particularly disabling symptom in POTS, often worse with upright posture.

    “A particularly disabling symptom is “brain fog” or perceived cognitive impairment,19 which is often worse with upright posture.20”

    From Diagnosis and management of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (2022) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Introduction and Clinical Perspectives sections describe cognitive impairment or mental clouding as an almost universal complaint in POTS, supporting the identification of the symptom. The paper does not call it particularly disabling. It reports worsening with head-up tilt in POTS patients with comorbid chronic fatigue syndrome, but its own testing was conducted seated, so it does not establish that upright posture often worsens cognition across POTS patients (page numbers unavailable). (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation of 28 seated POTS patients found deficits in selective attention, cognitive processing, and executive functioning, but memory function did not differ from healthy controls.

    “A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation of 28 patients in a seated position found deficits in selective attention and cognitive processing, as well as impaired executive functioning. Memory function did not differ from healthy controls [29].”

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1 of the 46 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [11]Lezak MD Howieson D Oring DW Annay HJ Ischer JS 2004 Neuropsychological Assessment New York Oxford University Press

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Authors
Arnold, A. C., Haman, K., Garland, E. M., Raj, V., Dupont, W. D., Biaggioni, I., Robertson, D., & Raj, S. R.
Affiliations
Vanderbilt University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Biaggioni, Italo
  • Robertson, David
Venue
Clinical Science
Published
2014-08-27
Volume
128
Issue
1
Pages
39-45
ISSN
  • 0143-5221 (ISSN-L)
  • 1470-8736
OpenAlex
W2072302096
Cited by
53
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2
FWCI
2.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Clinical Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR000445)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (P01HL056693, R01HL102387, P01 HL-56693)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (RC1MH088329, R34MH094535)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32GM007569)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (U54NS065736)
  • NIH Clinical Center
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
Keywords
postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, cognitive impairment, selective attention, processing speed, executive function, neuropsychological assessment, orthostatic stress, female patients
MeSH terms
Adult, Attention, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Neuropsychological Tests, Posture, Psychomotor Performance, Case-Control Studies, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Executive Function, Stroop Test

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