Gur, Ali, Oktayoglu, Pelin · Current pharmaceutical design · 2008 · DOI
This review examines how ME/CFS and fibromyalgia may both involve problems in the nervous system—specifically in how the brain processes pain, manages stress hormones, and controls automatic body functions. The authors discuss why current treatments are limited and explore new medication approaches that target brain chemicals involved in pain and fatigue.
This review directly addresses the long-standing question of whether ME/CFS and fibromyalgia share underlying nervous system mechanisms, which could inform more targeted treatment strategies. Understanding CNS involvement in fatigue, pain, and cognitive symptoms could help clinicians recognize and manage these debilitating conditions more effectively.
This review does not establish causation—it synthesizes existing hypotheses about CNS dysfunction without providing new primary data or definitive proof that nervous system abnormalities directly cause ME/CFS symptoms. The proposed shared mechanisms remain speculative and require validation through rigorous mechanistic studies. This review also does not prove that pharmacological treatments targeting these pathways will be effective for ME/CFS patients.
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Primary citation
Gur, Ali & Oktayoglu, Pelin (2008). Central nervous system abnormalities in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: new concepts in treatment.. Current pharmaceutical design. https://doi.org/10.2174/138161208799316348
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-gur-2008-central-nervous,
author = {Gur, Ali and Oktayoglu, Pelin},
title = {Central nervous system abnormalities in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: new concepts in treatment.},
journal = {Current pharmaceutical design},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.2174/138161208799316348},
note = {PubMed: 18537652},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gur-2008-central-nervous},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gur-2008-central-nervous
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