Linde, Andreas · Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique · 2007 · DOI
This review suggests that ME/CFS is a condition involving multiple body systems rather than a single cause, and that it shares features with other similar illnesses affecting the mind and body. The authors found that treatments involving gradual increases in activity and cognitive behavioral therapy show the most promise, while antidepressants may help as an add-on treatment.
This study provides a conceptual framework for understanding ME/CFS that bridges biological and psychological factors, potentially helping both patients and clinicians develop more effective, integrated treatment approaches. It identifies evidence-based interventions that prioritize patient activation, which may guide clinical practice and future research priorities.
This review does not establish a single definitive cause of ME/CFS, nor does it prove that psychological factors are primary drivers of the illness. The classification as a functional somatic syndrome does not mean symptoms are psychosomatic or 'all in the mind'—rather, it describes a pattern of systemic dysregulation; the evidence level and citation practices are not fully transparent in this abstract.
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
Linde, Andreas (2007). [Chronic fatigue syndrome--a functional somatic syndrome].. Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique. https://doi.org/10.1024/0040-5930.64.10.567
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-linde-2007-chronic-fatigue,
author = {Linde, Andreas},
title = {[Chronic fatigue syndrome--a functional somatic syndrome].},
journal = {Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1024/0040-5930.64.10.567},
note = {PubMed: 18214210},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/linde-2007-chronic-fatigue},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-27. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/linde-2007-chronic-fatigue
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