title: Psychosocial and immunological factors in neurasthenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurasthenia is a disorder whose pathogenesis is still unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors sought to examine the relationships between neurasthenia and possible psychosocial and immunological correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 30 Chinese neurasthenic patients was compared with a matched sample of 30 control subjects for 1) the level of serum Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) gamma G immunoglobulin (IgG) and gamma M immunoglobulin (IgM); 2) scores on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ); 3) the Symptom Checklist-90; and 4) the Life Event Scale (LES); 27 of the 30 neurasthenia patients were treated with medication and psychotherapy for a 4-month period, with measures taken pre- and posttreatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As compared with the control group, neurasthenic patients exhibited higher EPQ scores for neuroticism, higher levels of introversion, and a higher number of negative life events. Within the neurasthenia sample, scores for neuroticism and the SCL-90 Global Severity Index were significantly lower at follow-up than at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As compared with control subjects, neurasthenia patients were characterized by greater neuroticism and introversion, and they reported a higher rate of negative life events. Moreover, the positive rate of EBV in neurasthenic patients was higher, which may be associated with higher EBV activation under states of stress.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Middle Rd., Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: YaLin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Doris F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: GuoQiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: XiangHui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009440:Neurasthenia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011594:Psychometrics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M