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Chronic fatigue syndrome: Reviewing the research findings

  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

This article reviews the current state of research in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The evolving definition, prevalence, and prognosis of this controversial illness are presented. We review studies examining psychiatric, personality, and psychosocial etiology for CFS. The evidence for pathophysiology in CFS is also presented, and studies investigating viral, immune, neuroimaging, neuroendocrine, and central and autonomic nervous system abnormalities in CFS are assessed. Current evidence indicates that CFS is multidetermined and heterogeneous and that subgrouping patients according to factors such as psychiatric state and symptom onset may be fruitful. The current state of treatment for CFS is reviewed, and the challenges for research aimed at resolving this prototypical mind/body problem are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, 28223, Charlotte, NC

    Susan K. Johnson Ph.D.

  2. Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca Ph.D.

  3. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca Ph.D. & Benjamin H. Natelson M.D.

Authors
  1. Susan K. Johnson Ph.D.
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  2. John DeLuca Ph.D.
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  3. Benjamin H. Natelson M.D.
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Additional information

Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by NIH grant MH52810-03.

The authors would like to thank Amy Beam for assistance in manuscript preparation.

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Johnson, S.K., DeLuca, J. & Natelson, B.H. Chronic fatigue syndrome: Reviewing the research findings. ann. behav. med. 21, 258–271 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02884843

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