Ready to get technical? The research section contains overviews of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) research topics. Created by and for laypeople they can – as befits the subject – be challenging.
The Brain in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
Check out a series of papers on one of the most exciting place in ME/CFS research – the brain.
- The Fatigue in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) – Is it ‘Central’?
- Choline on the Brain?
- A Neurological Channelopathy in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)?
- A ‘Selfish Brain’ in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)?
- Proteins on the Brain: Spinal Tapping for ME/CFS
The Heart of the Matter?
Could a heart dysfunction be behind the fatigue and other problems in ME/CFS? Check out a series of papers taking a critical look at the evidence:
- A Guide to Cardiovascular Issues in CFS: Part I – Testing the Heart, Stroke Volume, Future Research
- A Guide to Cardiovascular Issues in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Part II: the Cheney Theory – An Inquiry
- Cardiovascular Issues in CFS/ME Part III: Assessing Diastolic Heart Failure
- A Guide to Cardiovascular Issues in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Part IVa: Superoxide and the Heart
- A Guide to Cardiovascular Issues in CFS IVb: Peroxynitrite and the Heart
Defining Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
Defining CFS correctly is critical to its success as a research subject. The CDC recently created a new (Empirical) definition of CFS that raised a great deal of controversy. In these papers we examine what is different about the new definition and how it might affect chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) research.
- Defining ME/CFS I: the Empirical Definition
- Defining ME/CFS II: The Empirical Defintion: More Questions
The Dubbo Studies – A Model of Post-Infective Fatigue Emerging?
The Dubbo Studies are a fascinating set of studies examining people infected one of three pathogens (Ross-River Virus, Epstein-Barr Virus, Coxiella Burnetii) as they lapse into chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
The Pain of Fibromyalgia.
We take advantage of several recent studies to look at the different theories regarding how the pain in FMS is caused….and come to a surprising conclusion.
Glutathione Depletion/Methylation Blockades in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Glutathione is the master anti-oxidant in the body. These papers by independent researcher Rich Von Konynenburg examine the evidence for glutathione depletion in CFS and ways of enhancing it.
- This Poster presented at the AACFS conference in Wisconsin in 2004, examines the evidence for, and implications of, low glutathione levels in CFS.
- Glutathione Depletion in Autism and the Implications for CFS – More and more research into this master anti-oxidant is done every year. Check out how findings of low glutathione in autism may have implications for our understanding of CFS.
- Augmenting Glutathione Levels in CFS– Discover the many different ways used to boost the levels of this master antioxidant in the body. Everyone with CFS should give glutathione supplementation a try.
- Glutathione Depletion-Methylation Cycle Block: A Hypothesis for the Pathogenesis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Rich proposes what he believes is the underlying cause of glutathione depletion in CFS.
- Treating Glutathione Depletion-Methylation Blockades in CFS – A simplified guide from Rich Von Konynenburg
The Pathogens in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
No subject is more fraught with controversy than that concerning the pathogens. The flu-like symptoms often found at the onset and during the illness, as well as the immune abnormalities seen have long suggested a pathogenic origin to this disease. ease.
- The Herpesviruses in ME/CFS: The Herpesvirus Six (HHV-6) – No pathogens have received more attention in CFS than the peculiar family of viruses called the Herpesviruses, and no pathogen has received more attention than Human Herpesvirus Six (HHV-6)
- Epstein-Bar Virus – more CFS patients appear to become ill after a bout with EBV than any other pathogen. Check out a four part series on the biggest trigger in ME/CFS.
- XMRV – the most exciting finding in CFS history unfortunately turned out to be a contaminant. See below for a large selection of articles on how it all went down.
Hydrogen Sulfide: A Breakthrough in ME/CFS?
The Pharmacogenomics Papers
These efforts to integrate gene expression with laboratory and clinical data resulted in the simultaneous publication of 14 research papers in the Journal Pharmacogenomics in April, 2006. This complex effort could re-orient our thinking on CFS.
- Introduction – Who, what, and where.
- Allostatic Stress – evidence suggesting ME/CFS patients homeostatic systems have collapsed under the load .
- Gene Expression – The most extensive and sophisticated gene expression studies ever done in ME/CFS come to some surprising conclusions.
- Gene Polymorphisms – More and more evidence suggests ME/CFS patients have a genetic predisposition to this disease
- Subsets – Nothing is more vital than identifying subsets; they tried – did they succeed? Check it out.
- The CAMDA Project – the CDC throws their entire database into the hands of data mining specialists.
The Perils of Standing; Orthostatic Intolerance, the Autonomic Nervous System and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
Orthostatic intolerance (OI) – the inability to stand without symptoms – commonly occurs in chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). It is astonishing how many symptoms orthostatic intolerance has in common with CFS; no other diseases or conditions have as similar a presentation.
- Part One – Testing Orthostatic Intolerance in CFS – what is OI, what tests are used to diagnose it, and how do CFS patients measure up?
- Part Two: Types of Orthostatic Dysfunction – the type of OI found in CFS, the particular vascular difficulties found therein plus the ‘Dreaded Subsets’.
- Part Three – Possible Sources of the Orthostatic Intolerance Seen in CFS – Potential causes of OI in CFS and ongoing research.
- Part Four – Treatments for Orthostatic Intolerance, A Biomarker for CFS?, Conclusions, Links and References – Potential treatments for OI, an exciting new study by Naschitz on a biomarker for CFS and conclusions.
RNase L Deregulation in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
RNase L is activated when cells are under attack by pathogens. In most CFS patients thus far studied the RNase L enzyme is fragmented and the RNase L system deregulated. An RNase L fragment commonly seen in CFS patients is the closest thing to a biomarker yet found for this disease.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome A Biological Approach – The book – a chapter by chapter synopsis of this fascinating book
- RNase L Dysfunction and CFS – The papers: Synopses of papers published in scientific journals that explore the extent and ramifications of IFN dysregulation and RNase L and protein kinase R (PKR) dysfunction in CFS.
- RNase L – background readings on RNase L and PKR
Trends in CFS Research
Why, after all this research is the scientific community still unclear about the cause of CFS? Why is there still no biomarker for CFS? Why is there still so much controversy over this disease? This 2005 survey of PubMed citations dating back to 1988 reveals how the quantity and focus of CFS has changed over the past 17 years, and it leaves us with some disturbing conclusions about the pace of CFS research and its future prospects.
XMRV – the Game Changer?
The Whittemore Peterson Institute’s discovery of a rare retrovirus in a large percentage of chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients at first appeared an epochal event in the history of this disease. Unfortunately it was not to be as XMRV was, after several years, found to be a contaminant.
Latest ME/CFS Research on the Phoenix Rising Forums
Read the latest ME/CFS research on the Phoenix Rising forums.