Arnason, B G · Reviews of infectious diseases · 1991
Some people's bodies may be genetically or biologically wired to respond to infections in a way that leads to ME/CFS. This review examines how the immune system and nervous system communicate with each other through chemical messengers like interleukin-1 and hormones. The author suggests that measuring these chemicals in patients with ME/CFS compared to healthy people could help us understand why some people develop this disease after an infection.
This work is foundational for understanding ME/CFS as a neuroimmune disorder rather than purely psychological. It provides a testable biological framework that has influenced subsequent research into immune dysregulation and cytokine abnormalities in ME/CFS.
This essay does not provide empirical evidence that these biochemical pathways are actually abnormal in ME/CFS patients, as it presents no original data. It does not prove causation or identify which specific immune-nervous system mechanisms are responsible for ME/CFS symptoms. It also does not explain why some infected individuals develop ME/CFS while others do not.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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Primary citation
Arnason, B G (1991). Nervous system-immune system communication.. Reviews of infectious diseases. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2020798/
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-arnason-1991-nervous-system,
author = {Arnason, B G},
title = {Nervous system-immune system communication.},
journal = {Reviews of infectious diseases},
year = {1991},
note = {PubMed: 2020798},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/arnason-1991-nervous-system},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/arnason-1991-nervous-system
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