Omar, Jangir Sami, Albarzinji, Niaz, Niu, Mengqi et al. · Acta neuropsychiatrica · 2025 · DOI
This study looked at immune system markers in pregnant women with preeclampsia (a serious pregnancy condition) who also experienced depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Researchers found that certain immune molecules called sCTLA-4 and sCD80, along with imbalances in minerals like zinc and magnesium, were associated with these neuropsychiatric symptoms. The study suggests that immune system activation may play a role in why preeclampsia causes mood and fatigue problems.
Understanding immune checkpoint dysregulation in fatigue and mood symptoms may provide insight into mechanisms shared between preeclampsia-associated neuropsychiatric manifestations and ME/CFS. The identification of specific immune molecules and micronutrient imbalances offers potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers that could be investigated in ME/CFS cohorts.
This study does not prove that sCTLA-4 and sCD80 imbalances *cause* depression, anxiety, or fatigue—only that they are associated. The findings are specific to pregnant women with preeclampsia and cannot be directly applied to ME/CFS patients without independent validation. Cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal or causal relationships.
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
Omar, Jangir Sami, Albarzinji, Niaz, Niu, Mengqi, Taher, Naz Hawree, Aram, Bayar, Sulaiman, Mohammed Salam, et al. (2025). The immune checkpoint pathophysiology of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome due to preeclampsia: focus on sCD80 and sCTLA-4.. Acta neuropsychiatrica. https://doi.org/10.1017/neu.2025.10
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-omar-2025-immune-checkpoint,
author = {Omar, Jangir Sami and Albarzinji, Niaz and Niu, Mengqi and Taher, Naz Hawree and Aram, Bayar and Sulaiman, Mohammed Salam and Moustafa, Shatha Rouf and Al-Hakeim, Hussein Kadhem and Maes, Michael},
title = {The immune checkpoint pathophysiology of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome due to preeclampsia: focus on sCD80 and sCTLA-4.},
journal = {Acta neuropsychiatrica},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1017/neu.2025.10},
note = {PubMed: 40130935},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/omar-2025-immune-checkpoint},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/omar-2025-immune-checkpoint
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