CBT review reports less fatigue after stroke and in multiple sclerosis
Pooled studies favored cognitive behavioral therapy for fatigue and sleep symptoms, while anxiety outcomes showed no clear benefit. The abstract does not quantify the changes.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review reported that cognitive behavioral therapy improved fatigue and sleep symptoms in patients with stroke or multiple sclerosis compared with conventional interventions. Depression-related symptoms also improved in the stroke group. Anxiety symptoms did not show benefit in either condition, so the findings should not be presented as broad improvement across all aspects of mental health.
The abstract supplies no pooled effect estimates, confidence intervals or treatment durations, and does not describe conventional care in detail. These gaps limit assessment of the size, precision and durability of any symptom changes.
What researchers found
Fatigue symptoms
Cognitive behavioral therapy versus conventional interventions in stroke and multiple sclerosis studies; treatment duration and assessment timing were not reported.
Differences between the conditions
The reported pattern was not identical across diagnoses: improvements in depression-related symptoms were described for stroke, while the multiple sclerosis findings concerned fatigue and sleep. The abstract does not establish a depression benefit for multiple sclerosis.
How much improvement remains unclear
The abstract summarizes whether outcomes favored therapy without presenting numerical effects. It also calls for larger randomized trials across multiple centers. The reported anxiety result should be read as no demonstrated benefit, rather than proof of no possible effect.
The original publication
Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in improving symptoms of fatigue in patients with stroke and multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Wang S, Wang W, Wang N
BMC Psychol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41339933
- Record checked
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