ABSTRACT
Theories of CFS which incorporate biological, psychological and social aspects of the illness have evolved in the past few years. However, it is difficult to appreciate these without first exploring the findings which have emerged from each of these fields. This chapter provides an overview of the progression of CFS research in the biomedical field. We have already seen that the re-emergence and popularity of CFS centred on the acknowledgement of the organic nature of the condition. The initial enthusiasm for viral theories has to a large extent been superseded by immunological and central nervous system (CNS) or brain hypotheses of the disorder. Ideas about pollutants and allergies still abound in the popular CFS literature, while investigators are forming new hypotheses such as CFS being a disorder of sleep, breathing problems, or low blood pressure. The evidence for each of these hypotheses is briefly reviewed together with examples of patients’ ideas and beliefs about the various causes of their illness and some of their reactions to the research findings. The implications of CFS patients’ causal beliefs will be discussed further in later chapters.
