Morris, Gerwyn, Berk, Michael, Galecki, Piotr et al. · Molecular neurobiology · 2014 · DOI
This study explores how ME/CFS may involve the immune system attacking the body's own tissues (autoimmunity). Researchers found that up to 60% of ME/CFS patients show signs of autoimmune responses, likely triggered by a combination of stress on cells, viral infections, and problems with how the body produces energy. The study identifies several pathways that could lead to these harmful immune reactions and discusses potential treatments.
Understanding autoimmunity in ME/CFS is critical because it could explain why some patients' symptoms worsen and persist, and it opens potential avenues for treatment targeting immune dysfunction. If autoimmunity is confirmed as a major disease mechanism in a significant subset of patients, this could enable development of more targeted therapies beyond symptomatic management.
This review does not establish causation or prove that autoimmunity is the primary driver of ME/CFS in all patients—it describes associations and plausible mechanisms. The finding that up to 60% of patients show autoimmune markers does not mean autoimmunity causes their disease or explains all symptoms. Additionally, the study does not present new experimental data validating these mechanisms in ME/CFS populations.
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
Morris, Gerwyn, Berk, Michael, Galecki, Piotr, & Maes, Michael (2014). The emerging role of autoimmunity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/cfs).. Molecular neurobiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-013-8553-0
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-morris-2014-emerging-role,
author = {Morris, Gerwyn and Berk, Michael and Galecki, Piotr and Maes, Michael},
title = {The emerging role of autoimmunity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/cfs).},
journal = {Molecular neurobiology},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1007/s12035-013-8553-0},
note = {PubMed: 24068616},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/morris-2014-emerging-role},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/morris-2014-emerging-role
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