Allostatic overload in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Section snippets
Funding statement
No external funding was awarded for this work.
Conflict of interest
None.
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to colleagues at the Optimum Health Clinic for discussions around this topic and feedback on drafts; namely Alex Howard, Anna Duschinsky and Thora Blondal.
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Depression, evening salivary cortisol and inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome: A psychoneuroendocrinological structural regression model
2018, International Journal of PsychophysiologyCitation Excerpt :Periods of increased perceived stress or depression can have deleterious effects on immune functioning (Anderson et al., 2014; Silverman and Sternberg, 2012; Wright et al., 2015). The concept of allostatic load, which was put forth by McEwen and colleagues (McEwen, 2000) may be relevant here (Arroll, 2013). One of the concepts in allostatic load is the idea that cortisol is immunosuppressive under short term, acute conditions.
Glucocorticoid receptor DNA methylation and childhood trauma in chronic fatigue syndrome patients
2018, Journal of Psychosomatic ResearchCitation Excerpt :Increased GR gene expression is hypothesized to cause an increased HPA negative feedback resulting in hypocortisolism. It has been suggested that CFS patients may have a decreased HPA axis responsiveness [15]. Hypocortisolism and HPA axis hyporesponsiveness have also been implicated in PTSD, suggesting a similar underlying pathophysiological mechanism of these stress-related disorders [52].
The role of the hippocampus in the pathogenesis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
2016, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :It generally increases in response to an acutely stressful event and has the potential to either enhance or undermine psychobiological resilience to oxidative damage, depending on the body’s prior exposure to chronic psychological stress [74]. Recently, Arroll [9] suggested that ME/CFS can be understood as a maladaptive stress disorder, characterized by HPA axis abnormalities with infections and negative life events as triggering factors. The definitional criterion corresponding to this category is neuroendocrine symptoms.
How Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Progresses: The Natural History of ME/CFS
2020, Frontiers in Neurology