Morriss, R K, Ahmed, M, Wearden, A J et al. · Journal of affective disorders · 1999 · DOI
This study looked at whether depression makes ME/CFS symptoms worse. Researchers compared three groups: ME/CFS patients without depression, ME/CFS patients with depression, and people with depression alone. They found that depression did not increase pain, headaches, or other unexplained symptoms in ME/CFS patients, but it did make their social life more difficult.
Understanding the relationship between depression and ME/CFS symptoms is crucial for treatment planning. This study challenges the assumption that treating depression will reduce core ME/CFS symptoms, suggesting instead that depression management may primarily benefit social functioning and quality of life rather than pain or other somatic complaints.
This cross-sectional study cannot establish causation—it cannot determine whether depression causes functional decline or vice versa. The study relied on patient recall rather than objective medical records or investigations, and does not prove that antidepressants are ineffective, only that depression itself is not associated with increased pain or medically unexplained symptoms in this population.
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
Morriss, R K, Ahmed, M, Wearden, A J, Mullis, R, Strickland, P, Appleby, L, et al. (1999). The role of depression in pain, psychophysiological syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.. Journal of affective disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0165-0327(98)00218-3
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-morriss-1999-role-depression,
author = {Morriss, R K and Ahmed, M and Wearden, A J and Mullis, R and Strickland, P and Appleby, L and Campbell, I T and Pearson, D},
title = {The role of depression in pain, psychophysiological syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Journal of affective disorders},
year = {1999},
doi = {10.1016/s0165-0327(98)00218-3},
note = {PubMed: 10628883},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/morriss-1999-role-depression},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/morriss-1999-role-depression
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