Biological underpinnings of the commonalities in depression, somatization, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Anderson, George, Maes, Michael, Berk, Michael·Medical hypotheses·2012
This review examines why people with ME/CFS, depression, and somatization (a condition involving unexplained body symptoms) often experience similar physical symptoms like fatigue, pain, and autonomic problems. The researchers found evidence that these symptoms arise from real biological changes in the body, including immune system activation and changes in how the body processes an amino acid called tryptophan. This suggests these seemingly different conditions may share common biological pathways rather than being purely psychological.