Cara Tomas, Jessica Newton, Stuart Watson · The EPMA Journal · 2017 · DOI
This UK study analyzed mitochondrial function in immune cells from ME/CFS patients using the Seahorse assay. They found reduced ATP production capacity, impaired electron transport chain function, and altered redox signaling in a subgroup of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy controls.
Direct measurement of mitochondrial function in ME/CFS cells provides mechanistic support for the metabolic dysfunction hypothesis. It extends the Naviaux metabolomics findings by showing impaired energy production at the cellular level.
This small study identified mitochondrial dysfunction in a subgroup only. It is unknown whether mitochondrial impairment is a primary feature or secondary to other biological processes in ME/CFS.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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Primary citation
Cara Tomas, Jessica Newton, & Stuart Watson (2017). Evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired redox signalling in a subgroup of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. The EPMA Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13167-017-0088-2
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-tomas-2017-mitochondrial,
author = {Cara Tomas and Jessica Newton and Stuart Watson},
title = {Evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired redox signalling in a subgroup of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome},
journal = {The EPMA Journal},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1007/s13167-017-0088-2},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/tomas-2017-mitochondrial},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/tomas-2017-mitochondrial
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