Neurasthenie und chronic fatigue syndrome - Eine übersicht zur empirischen literatur

The symptomatology of neurasthenia, in ICD-10 categorised as neurotic disorder, is very closely related to the somatoform disorders. In recent time, the diagnostic label neurasthenia was replaced by the research criteria of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Fatigue and fatigue related symptoms are very common complaints in the population. We give an overview of the international empiric literature on neurasthenia and CFS between 1980 and 1997. While there is a considerable body of literature about diagnostic criteria, epidemiology and course of these disorders, empirical literature about the evidence of therapeutic intervention, especially of psychodynamic psychotherapy is very rare. Empirically proven management guidelines are reported.