Document Detail


A new hypothesis of chronic fatigue syndrome: co-conditioning theory.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20338693     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Chronic fatigue syndrome is an illness characterized by a profound, disabling, and unexplained sensation of fatigue lasting at least 6 months, which severely impairs daily functioning and is accompanied by a combination of non-specific symptoms. Many potential causes of chronic fatigue syndrome have been investigated, including viral infections, immune dysfunctions, abnormal neuroendocrine responses, central nervous system abnormalities, autonomic dysfunctions, impaired exercise capacities, sleep disruptions, genetic backgrounds, psychiatric abnormalities, personality, and abnormal psychological processes. However, no etiology, specific physical signs or laboratory test abnormalities have been found. It is essential to establish a conceptual theory of chronic fatigue syndrome that can explain its pathophysiology in order to identify the clinical entity and to develop effective treatment methods. In this article, a new conceptual hypothesis about the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome, the co-conditioning theory, is presented: after repetitive overwork and/or stress, alarm signal to rest and fatigue sensation may cause in response to an unconditioned stimulus (impaired homeostasis and function) that has been paired with a conditioned stimulus (overwork and/or stress). In the future, a new treatment strategy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, re-co-conditioning therapy, may be developed on the basis of the co-conditioning theory. In addition, this theory will likely contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Authors:
Masaaki Tanaka; Yasuyoshi Watanabe
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review     Date:  2010-03-24
Journal Detail:
Title:  Medical hypotheses     Volume:  75     ISSN:  1532-2777     ISO Abbreviation:  Med. Hypotheses     Publication Date:  2010 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-05     Completed Date:  2010-10-20     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7505668     Medline TA:  Med Hypotheses     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  244-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. masa-t@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Exercise / psychology
Fatigue / complications,  physiopathology
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / diagnosis*,  etiology*,  psychology
Humans
Immune System Diseases / complications
Models, Biological*
Virus Diseases / complications

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