title: Chronic fatigue syndrome: characteristics and possible causes for its pathogenesis.
abstract: Chronic fatigue syndrome is a heterogeneous disorder with unknown pathogenesis and etiology, characterized by disabling fatigue, difficulty in concentration and memory, and concomitant skeletal and muscular pain. Several mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in CFS, such as excessive oxidative stress following exertion, immune imbalance characterized by decreased natural killer cell and macrophage activity, immunoglobulin G subclass deficiencies (IgG1, IgG3) and decreased serum concentrations of complement component. Autoantibodies were also suggested as a possible factor in the pathogenesis of CFS. Recent studies indicate that anti-serotonin, anti-microtubule-associated protein 2 and anti-muscarinic cholinergic receptor 1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of CFS. It has been demonstrated that impairment in vasoactive neuropeptide metabolism may explain the symptoms of CFS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amital
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amital
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001323:Autoantibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D009479:Neuropeptides