The sleep famine: The effects of sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue

ABSTRACTA major hypothesis regarding the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is immune dysregulation, thought to be reflected in upregulated proinflammatory cytokines leading to the symptoms that are characteristic of this illness. Because the symptoms worsen with physical exertion or sleep loss, we hypothesized that we could use these stressors to magnify the underlying potential pathogenic abnormalities in the cytokine systems of people with CFS. We conducted repeat blood sampling for cytokine levels from healthy subjects and CFS patients during both postexercise and total sleep deprivation nights and assayed for protein levels in the blood samples, mRNA activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs), and function in resting and stimulated PBLs. We found that these environmental manipulations did not produce clinically significant upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines. These data do not support an important role of immune dysregulation in the genesis of stress-induced worsening of CFS.

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Long- and short-term blood pressure andRR-interval variability and psychosomatic distress in chronic fatigue syndrome: authors’ reply 1

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs19990155 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 97 (3) ◽

pp. 319 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D.A. DUPREZ ◽

M.L. DE BUYZERE ◽

B. DRIEGHE ◽

F. VANHAVERBEKE ◽

Y. TAES ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Short Term ◽

Fatigue Syndrome

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Caffeine and Placebo Expectation

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803.21.2.91 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 91-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yunfeng Sun ◽

Yinling Zhang ◽

Ning He ◽

Xufeng Liu ◽

Danmin Miao

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Sleep Deprivation ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Cardiovascular Regulation ◽

Double Blind ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Pressure Tests ◽

Healthy Males

Abstract. Caffeine placebo expectation seems to improve vigilance and cognitive performance. This study investigated the effect of caffeine and placebo expectation on vigilance and cognitive performance during 28 h sleep deprivation. Ten healthy males volunteered to take part in the double-blind, cross-over study, which required participants to complete five treatment periods of 28 h separated by 1-week wash-out intervals. The treatments were no substance (Control); caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 (C200); placebo 200 mg at 00:00 (P200); twice caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 and 04:00 (C200-C200); caffeine 200 mg at 00:00 and placebo 200 mg at 04:00 (C200-P200). Participants were told that all capsules were caffeine and given information about the effects of caffeine to increase expectation. Vigilance was assessed by a three-letter cancellation test, cognitive functions by the continuous addition test and Stroop test, and cardiovascular regulation by heart rate and blood pressure. Tests were performed bihourly from 00:00 to 10:00 of the second day. Results indicated that C200-P200 and C200-C200 were more alert (p < .05) than Control and P200. Their cognitive functions were higher (p < .05) than Control and P200. Also, C200-P200 scored higher than C200 in the letter cancellation task (p < .05). No test showed any significant differences between C200-P200 and C200-C200. The results demonstrated that the combination of caffeine 200 mg and placebo 200 mg expectation exerted prolonged positive effects on vigilance and cognitive performance.

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Diagnostic Concordance Between Categorical and Dimensional Instruments to Assess Personality Disorder in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000281 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 158-165

Author(s):

Natalia Calvo ◽

Naia Sáez-Francàs ◽

Sergi Valero ◽

Jesús Castro-Marrero ◽

José Alegre Martín ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Personality Assessment ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Specific Pattern ◽

Harm Avoidance ◽

Assessment Instrument ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Self Transcendence

Abstract. The study examines the relationship between a categorical and a dimensional personality assessment instrument in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). A total of 162 CFS patients were included in the study (91.4% women; mean age 47.5 years). All subjects completed the Spanish versions of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+) and the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R). Results: 78 (48.1%) of the patients presented a Personality Disorder (PD), the most frequent being Cluster C, specifically Obsessive-compulsive disorder, followed by Avoidant disorder. PDs showed a specific pattern of correlation with temperament scales. All PD clusters correlated positively with Harm Avoidance and Self-Transcendence, and negatively with Reward Dependence, Self-Directedness, and Cooperativeness. In a logistic regression analysis, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness predicted PD presence. The findings are consistent with previous studies in non-CFS samples and suggest that the combination of the Temperament and Character dimensions (low Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness and high Harm Avoidance and Self-Transcendence) correlates with PD severity, and that Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness are associated with PD presence in CFS patients. The integration of these two perspectives expands the current comprehension of personality pathology in CFS patients.

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