The Inflammatory Hypothesis of Mood Spectrum Broadened to Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Objectives: The present paper aimed at reviewing literature data on the inflammatory hypothesis of mood spectrum, as well as the overlapping features with some chronic rheumatologic disorders, in particular fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Methods: A literature search was carried out for English papers published in the years 2000-2014, while using the following words: mood spectrum, depression, bipolar disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, neurotransmitters, inflammation, neuroinflammation, cytokines.

Results: Overlapping features were highlighted between mood spectrum, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome suggesting common underlying mechanisms at pathophysiological level involving both central nervous and the immune systems.

Conclusions: Taken together, the literature would suggest that the borders between different medical domains should be reconsidered in the light of common processes linking them.