Goodnick, P J, Sandoval, R · The Journal of clinical psychiatry · 1993
This review examined whether antidepressant medications can help people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, since depression often occurs alongside these conditions. Researchers looked at 23 studies and found that certain antidepressants—particularly at lower doses than used for depression alone—may help reduce both fatigue and pain symptoms. Different types of antidepressants appeared to work better for different symptoms: some were better for pain relief, while others were better for mood.
This review provides early evidence that antidepressants may benefit ME/CFS patients through mechanisms related to underlying neurochemical dysfunction rather than psychiatric comorbidity alone. Understanding which antidepressant classes target specific symptoms (pain versus fatigue/mood) could help clinicians personalize treatment and improve outcomes for patients who have both depression and ME/CFS.
This review does not establish that depression causes ME/CFS or vice versa—shared neurochemistry may indicate a common underlying pathology rather than causal relationships. The studies reviewed vary widely in quality and methodology, so findings cannot be generalized confidently to all ME/CFS patients. This review also does not prove antidepressants treat core ME/CFS pathology; they may only manage associated symptoms.
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 →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Goodnick, P J & Sandoval, R (1993). Psychotropic treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome and related disorders.. The Journal of clinical psychiatry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8428892/
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-goodnick-1993-psychotropic-treatment,
author = {Goodnick, P J and Sandoval, R},
title = {Psychotropic treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome and related disorders.},
journal = {The Journal of clinical psychiatry},
year = {1993},
note = {PubMed: 8428892},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/goodnick-1993-psychotropic-treatment},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-27. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/goodnick-1993-psychotropic-treatment
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