Children who are exposed to sexual, physical or psychological abuse are more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome as adults, a new study suggests. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome report higher levels of childhood trauma compared to those who did not have the disorder, according to the study from the CDC and Atlanta’s Emory University.

 

Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that childhood trauma, which includes sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect, was associated with up to a sixfold increase in chronic fatigue syndrome later in life. The team collected data on 113 people with CFS and 124 people without the disorder. They found that 62% of CFS patients reported being the victims of severe childhood traumas compared to 24% of study participants without CFS, according to the study.

 

Researchers also found reduced cortisone levels in those who suffered childhood trauma; low cortisone levels can indicate reduced function of the body’s neuroendocrine stress response system.

 

Symptoms of CFS include widespread muscle and joint pain, mental and physical exhaustion, cognitive difficulties, problems with sleeping, with memory, concentration, and pain. The disorder occurs more often in women than in men and is thought to have an incidence of 4 adults per 1,000 in the United States. Female sex, genetic predisposition, certain personality traits and physical and emotional stress are among the risk factors that have been linked to the disorder.

 

The experiences that children have while their brain is developing may have long-term consequences, including CFS, the researchers concluded.

The study was published in the January 5 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.