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Neurobiology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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Fatigue Science for Human Health

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Abstract

Severe persistent or relapsing fatigue is the most disabling symptom in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Clinical and brain imaging studies with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy support the view that fatigue in CFS is central, i.e., brain-derived. It seems likely that an interruption of the basal ganglia pathways integrating voluntary motor output to the afferent sensory input and cognitive processing is the neural basis of fatigue in CFS. A genome-wide microarray study in patients with CFS suggests significant changes in gene expression of pathways responsible for immune modulation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Altered neural cell membrane signalling in regional brain areas induced by downstream effects of these changes may explain the paroxysmal and fluctuating nature of symptom severity in many CFS patients. It is possible, but not yet proven, that CFS is due to a neurological channelopathy.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Essex Centre for Neurological Sciences, Romford, Essex, UK

    Abhijit Chaudhuri

  2. Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK

    John W. Gow

  3. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Peter O. Behan

Authors
  1. Abhijit Chaudhuri
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  2. John W. Gow
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  3. Peter O. Behan
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Imaging Research Program, RIKEN, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan

    Yasuyoshi Watanabe M.D., Ph.D. (Program Director and Professor) (Program Director and Professor)

  2. Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan

    Yasuyoshi Watanabe M.D., Ph.D. (Program Director and Professor) (Program Director and Professor)

  3. Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska, University Hospital Huddinge, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Birgitta Evengård M.D. (Professor, Senior Consultant) (Professor, Senior Consultant)

  4. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, SE-901 85, Umeå, Sweden

    Birgitta Evengård M.D. (Professor, Senior Consultant) (Professor, Senior Consultant)

  5. New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA

    Benjamin H. Natelson M.D. (Professor of Neurosciences) (Professor of Neurosciences)

  6. Center for Community Research, DePaul University, 990 West Fullerton, Suite 3100, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA

    Leonard A. Jason Ph.D. (Professor and Director) (Professor and Director)

  7. Department of Health Science, Faculty of Health Science for Welfare, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences, 3-11-1 Asahigaoka, Kashiwara, Osaka, 582-0026, Japan

    Hirohiko Kuratsune M.D., Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

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© 2008 Springer

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Chaudhuri, A., Gow, J.W., Behan, P.O. (2008). Neurobiology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In: Watanabe, Y., Evengård, B., Natelson, B.H., Jason, L.A., Kuratsune, H. (eds) Fatigue Science for Human Health. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-73464-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-73464-2_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-73463-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-73464-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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