SLEEP, NEUROIMMUNE AND NEUROENDOCRINE FUNCTIONS IN FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

The justification for disordered chronobiology for fibromyalgia and ch ronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is based on the following evidence: The s tudies on disordered sleep physiology and the symptoms of fibromyalgia and CFS; the experimental studies that draw a link between interleuki n-1 (IL-1), immune-neuroendocrine-thermal systems and the sleep-wake c ycle; studies and preliminary data of the inter-relationships of sleep -wakefulness, IL-1, and aspects of peripheral immune and neuroendocrin e functions in healthy men and in women during differing phases of the menstrual cycle; and the observations of alterations in the immune-ne uroendocrine functions of patients with fibromyalgia and CFS (Moldofsk y, 1993b, d). Time series analyses of measures of the circadian patter n of the sleep-wake behavioural system, immune, neuroendocrine and tem perature functions in patients with fibromyalgia and CFS should determ ine whether alterations of aspects of the neuro-immune-endocrine syste ms that accompany disordered sleep physiology result in nonrestorative sleep, pain, fatigue, cognitive and mood symptoms in patients with fi bromyalgia and CFS.