Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0015674 (chronic fatigue syndrome)
 2,978 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a commonly recognized feature of many pathological conditions. Abnormal adrenal responses to experimental manipulation have been well documented in patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, anorexia nervosa and major depression. Yet no defect of any single organ, gland or brain region has been identified as a cause of these abnormalities. The disruption of the HPA axis that occurs in these conditions can be understood if an interfering factor is present in these patients. Evidence indicates that this interfering factor is adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) autoantibodies. Chronic high levels of ACTH autoantibodies will significantly disrupt the HPA axis and force the body to compensate for an impaired cortisol response. The resulting effect of chronic ACTH autoantibody interference is the manifestation of adrenocortical insufficient symptoms and psychological disturbances. Some symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, anorexia nervosa and major depression, such as anxiety, are the adverse effects of mechanisms compensating for less effective ACTH due to autoantibodies. Furthermore, these patients engage in extraordinary behaviors, such as self-injury, to increase their cortisol levels. When this compensation is inadequate, symptoms of adrenocortical insufficiency appear. Corticosteroid supplements have been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome, anorexia nervosa and major depression. It allows the patients to have the corticosteroids they require for daily functioning and daily stressors. This therapy will relieve the patients of their symptoms of adrenocortical insufficiency and permit their cortisol-stimulating mechanisms to operate at levels that will not cause pathological problems.
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PMID:Chronic ACTH autoantibodies are a significant pathological factor in the disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in chronic fatigue syndrome, anorexia nervosa and major depression. 1588 24

OBJECTIVES. Difficulties in processing emotional states are implicated in the aetiology and maintenance of diverse health conditions, including anorexia nervosa (AN) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This study sought to explore distress tolerance, self-silencing, and beliefs regarding the experience and expression of emotions in individuals diagnosed with AN and CFS. These conditions were chosen for this study because their clinical presentation is characterized by physical symptoms, yet cognitive behavioural models suggest that emotional processing difficulties contribute to the aetiology and maintenance of both. DESIGN. A between-subjects cross-sectional design was employed. METHODS. Forty people with AN, 45 with CFS, and 48 healthy controls (HCs) completed the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), Silencing the Self Scale (STSS), Beliefs about Emotions Scale (BES), and measures of clinical symptomatology. RESULTS. Initial group comparisons found that both AN and CFS participants scored higher than HCs on a subscale measuring difficulties in distress tolerance. AN and CFS participants were also more likely to judge themselves by external standards, endorse statements reflecting a tendency to put the needs of others before themselves, and present an outwardly socially compliant image of themselves whilst feeling hostile within. Relative to HCs, AN participants reported more maladaptive beliefs regarding the experience of having negative thoughts and feelings and revealing these emotions to others, with CFS participants showing a non-significant trend in the same direction. After controlling for differences in age, anxiety, and depression the only significant difference to remain was that observed for the STSS care as self-sacrifice subscale. More maladaptive beliefs about the experience and expression of emotions were associated with greater degree of eating disorder symptomatology in the AN group. CONCLUSIONS. Differences in emotional processing are present in AN and CFS compared to HCs, with some disorder-specific variation, and may be associated with greater clinical symptomatology. These findings support current explanatory models of both AN and CFS, and suggest that emotional processing should be addressed in the assessment and treatment of individuals with these illnesses.
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PMID:Emotional expression, self-silencing, and distress tolerance in anorexia nervosa and chronic fatigue syndrome. 2181 Jan 9

The hypothesis proposed is that functional disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and anorexia nervosa are caused by auto-antibodies to neuronal proteins induced by molecular mimicry with microbial antigens. The age incidence of these conditions, the marked female excess, increase with economic and technological advance, precipitation by infection, and the paucity of histological changes are all consistent with the hypothesis. It can be tested directly using human sera to search for cross reaction with brain proteins in model systems such as Drosophila melanogaster. The conditions might be amenable to treatment using pooled immunoglobulin. Identification and elimination from the microbial flora of the bacteria that express the cross reacting antigens should be possible.
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PMID:Microbes, molecular mimicry and molecules of mood and motivation. 2682 39