Elevated levels of some neuroactive progesterone metabolites, particularly isopregnanolone, in women with chronic fatigue syndrome

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 245 - 268
• Main Authors: Murphy, B.E.Pearson, Abbott, F.V., Allison, C.M., Watts, C., Ghadirian, A.-M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic fatigue syndrome; Depression; Epipregnanolone; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - blood; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - drug therapy; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hormones and behavior; Humans; Isopregnanolone; Matched-Pair Analysis; Middle Aged; Ovarian Follicle - metabolism; Pregnanedione; Pregnanolone; Pregnanolone - blood; Pregnenolone; Progesterone; Progesterone - blood; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychotropic Drugs - pharmacology; Psychotropic Drugs - therapeutic use; Reference Values; Isopregnanolone; Pregnanedione; Depression; Progesterone; Pregnanolone; Epipregnanolone; Chronic fatigue syndrome; Pregnenolone; Mood disorder; Human; Healthy subject; Evaluation scale; Metabolite; Ovarian hormone; Investigation method; Female; Sex steroid hormone; Comparative study

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a controversial entity whose cause is unknown. In this study we have explored the possibility that progesterone metabolites may be involved. Plasma levels of the progesterone precursor pregnenolone, progesterone itself, and five ring A-reduced metabolites of progest...