Childhood trauma associated with chronic fatigue syndrome

Childhood trauma associated with chronic fatigue syndrome:

Childhood trauma associated with chronic fatigue syndrome
January 5th, 2009 in Medicine & Health / Diseases
Individuals who experience trauma during childhood appear more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome as adults, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. In addition, neuroendocrine dysfunction—or abnormalities in the interaction between the nervous system and endocrine system—appears to be associated with childhood trauma in those with chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting a biological pathway by which early experiences influence adult vulnerability to illness.


Chronic fatigue syndrome affects as many as 2.5 percent of U.S. adults, according to background information in the article. Little is known about the causes and development of the condition. Risk factors include female sex, genetic predisposition, certain personality traits and physical and emotional stress. "Stress in interaction with other risk factors likely triggers chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms through its effects on central nervous, neuroendocrine and immune systems, resulting in functional changes that lead to fatigue and associated symptoms such as sleep disruption, cognitive impairment and pain," the authors write. "However, obviously not every individual exposed to a stressor goes on to develop chronic fatigue syndrome, and it is therefore of critical importance to understand sources of individual differences in vulnerability to the pathogenic effects of stress."

Christine Heim, Ph.D., of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, and colleagues studied 113 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and 124 healthy individuals who served as controls. Participants—who were drawn from a general sample of 19,381 adults residents of Georgia—reported whether they had experienced childhood trauma, including sexual, physical and emotional abuse or emotional and physical neglect. They also underwent screening for depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and were tested for levels of the hormone cortisol in their saliva. Low levels may indicate decreased function of the body's main neuroendocrine stress response system, the authors note.

Individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome reported higher levels of childhood trauma—exposure to trauma was associated with a six-fold increase in the risk of having the condition. Sexual abuse, emotional abuse and emotional neglect were most closely associated with chronic fatigue syndrome. Patients with the syndrome also were more likely than controls to have depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Cortisol levels were decreased in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome who experienced childhood trauma, but not in those with chronic fatigue syndrome who had not been subjected to trauma. Therefore, stress early in life may cause a biological susceptibility to chronic fatigue syndrome, the authors note.

"Our results confirm childhood trauma as an important risk factor of chronic fatigue syndrome," they write. "In addition, neuroendocrine dysfunction, a hallmark feature of chronic fatigue syndrome, appears to be associated with childhood trauma. This possibly reflects a biological correlate of vulnerability due to early developmental insults. Our findings are critical to inform pathophysiological research and to devise targets for the prevention of chronic fatigue syndrome."

Source: JAMA and Archives Journals

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome recorded as a cause of death

drjohngreensmith@mefreeforall.org

Letters to the editor - Sydney Morning Herald.

The "indisputable evidence of inflammation and cell death" observed under the
microscope, in the case of Sophia Mirza, reported to be the first person in
Britain to have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome officially recorded as a cause of
death (Victims give clues to the answers, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 April
2007), restores Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to its rightful diagnostic place.

There never was a good reason for CFS to displace M.E. Whatever M.E. is, it
certainly isn't fatigue.

Nor was there ever a good reason for M.E to be considered the province of
psychiatrists. There is no evidence of greater incidence of psychiatric
history amongst M.E. sufferers than in the general population and, while
people with M.E. may have understandable concomitant psychological problems,
the one is not a prerequisite for the other.

M.E. sufferers and researchers have been clamouring for decades that CFS has
been holding back research and that, if you don't look for, you're not going
to find the neurological evidence, it was Myalgic Encephalomyelitis all along.
Then we can get down to the business of seeking treatments towards a cure.

You don't have to be much of a specialist of any sort to reckon that it would
be better for all concerned to spend money on neurological testing while M.E.
sufferers are still alive.

Yours sincerely
drjohngreensmith@mefreeforall.org
Dr John H Greensmith
ME Free For All.org

Article

The development of an autopsy protocol may help unlock some of the mysteries of chronic fatigue syndrome, writes Julie Robotham.

UNDER the microscope, it could not have been clearer. Sophia Mirza's brain and spinal fluid showed indisputable evidence of inflammation and cell death...