The neural correlates of fatigue: an exploratory imaginal fatigue provocation study in chronic fatigue syndrome

Caseras, Xavier ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8490-6891, Mataix-Cols, David, Rimes, K. A., Giampietro, V., Brammer, M., Zelaya, F., Chalder, T. and Godfrey, Esther 2008. The neural correlates of fatigue: an exploratory imaginal fatigue provocation study in chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychological Medicine 38 (7) , pp. 941-951. 10.1017/S0033291708003450

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Abstract

Background. Fatigue is the central symptom in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and yet very little is known about its neural correlates. The aim of this study was to explore the functional brain response, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to the imaginal experience of fatigue in CFS patients and controls. Method. We compared the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses of 12 CFS patients and 11 healthy controls to a novel fatigue provocation procedure designed to mimic real-life situations. A non-fatiguing anxiety-provoking condition was also included to control for the non-specific effects of negative affect. Results. During the provocation of fatigue, CFS patients reported feelings of both fatigue and anxiety and, compared to controls, they showed increased activation in the occipito-parietal cortex, posterior cingulate gyrus and parahippocampal gyrus, and decreased activation in dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortices. The reverse pattern of findings was observed during the anxiety-provoking scenarios. Conclusions. The results may suggest that, in CFS patients, the provocation of fatigue is associated with exaggerated emotional responses that patients may have difficulty suppressing. These findings are discussed in relation to the cognitive-behavioural model of CFS.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine Psychology MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG)
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Anxiety; chronic fatigue syndrome; fatigue; fMRI
Additional Information:	Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0033-2917/ (accessed 25/02/2014).
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0033-2917
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	12 Apr 2024 01:05
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/29726

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