Scientists in Bethesda, Maryland have conducted a groundbreaking study that sheds light on the biological basis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The study, one of the most comprehensive investigations to date, provides compelling evidence of abnormalities in the brain and immune systems of patients with CFS. This research marks a significant step forward in understanding the debilitating illness that causes severe fatigue and has long eluded clear biological explanations.
Experts have acknowledged the significance of the findings, which show a connection between imbalances in brain activity and feelings of fatigue, suggesting that these changes could be triggered by abnormalities in the immune system. According to Walter Koroshetz, director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “People with ME/CFS have very real and disabling symptoms, but uncovering their biological basis has been extremely difficult.”
The study involved 17 carefully selected patients who had all experienced an infection prior to developing CFS. Their stay at an NIH clinic for a week involved a wide range of physiological assessments, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans. The results revealed lower activity in a specific brain region, the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ), which may cause fatigue by disrupting the brain’s decision-making process regarding exertion. Additionally, abnormalities were found in the motor cortex, a brain region that directs the body’s movements, suggesting a dysfunction in brain regions that control motor function and the perception of fatigue.
The research also identified elevated heart rates and delayed blood pressure normalization after exertion, along with changes in patients’ T cells, indicating a persistent immune response that may affect brain chemistry and specific brain structures. Avindra Nath, clinical director at NINDS and senior author of the study, explained, “We think that the immune activation is affecting the brain in various ways, causing biochemical changes and downstream effects like motor, autonomic, and cardiorespiratory dysfunction.”
The discovery of these abnormalities in brain function is a crucial step in combating the stigma and dismissal that ME/CFS patients often face due to the lack of a clear biological basis for the illness. The hope is that this research will pave the way for new treatments and more effective management of the condition, providing relief for the millions of people worldwide affected by ME/CFS.