Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of basal ganglia in chronic fatigue syndrome

Fatigue is a common symptom of neurological diseases that affect basal ganglia function. We used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 MRS) to study the metabolic functions of the basal ganglia in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to test the hypothesis that fatigue in CFS may have a neurogenic component. 1H MRS of left basal ganglia was carried out in eight non-psychiatric patients with CFS and their results were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy asymptomatic healthy controls. A highly significant increase in the spectra from choline-containing compounds was seen in the CFS patient group (p<0.001). In the absence of regional structural or inflammatory pathology, increased choline resonance in CFS may be an indicator of higher cell membrane turnover due to gliosis or altered intramembrane signalling.