ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3921–3940 of 6,162 studies

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

mTORC1 syndrome (TorS): unifying paradigm for PASC, ME/CFS and PAIS.

Bar-Tana, Jacob·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This study proposes that ME/CFS, Long COVID, and similar post-infection illnesses may all be caused by the same underlying problem: excessive activity of a cellular control system called mTORC1. The authors suggest that if this overactive system is the shared driver of these conditions, it could explain why patients experience fatigue, worsening after exercise, pain, heart rate changes, and brain fog—and it might point toward new treatments.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryPEM required

Glymphatic System Dysregulation as a Key Contributor to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Nemat-Gorgani, Mohsen, Jensen, Michael Anthony, Davis, Ronald Wayne·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

Your brain has a cleaning system called the glymphatic system that removes toxic waste buildup, especially during sleep. This review suggests that this cleaning system may not be working properly in ME/CFS, which could explain symptoms like fatigue and brain fog. If the glymphatic system is involved in ME/CFS, new treatments designed to fix this cleaning process might help patients feel better.

SleepPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclear

Voice of the patient: people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) share in their own words.

Brimmer, Dana J, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Unger, Elizabeth R·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2025

Researchers created a respectful way to collect and share stories directly from people living with ME/CFS in their own words. Over four years, eight patient stories were completed and shared on the CDC website, where they were read more than 196,000 times. This study shows that patients appreciate having their voices heard and can help educate others about what it's really like to live with ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome as a complication of COVID-19 post-acute syndrome in adults. Bibliographic Review].

Carrillo Uguña, Miguel Esteban, Orellana Romero, Paula Michelle·Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina)·2024

This review examines how some COVID-19 survivors develop symptoms very similar to ME/CFS weeks or months after their acute infection ends. The authors found that over 87% of COVID-19 patients still experience at least one symptom two months after infection, and some of these symptoms match what ME/CFS patients experience. The study suggests that COVID-19 may trigger ME/CFS-like illness in some adults, similar to how other infections have been linked to ME/CFS in the past.

Long COVID OverlapPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

A suffering body, hidden away from others: The experience of being long-term bedridden with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood and adolescence.

Krabbe, Silje Helen, Bjorbækmo, Wenche Schrøder, Mengshoel, Anne Marit et al.·Nursing inquiry·2024

This study explored how young women experienced being severely ill with ME/CFS during their teenage years, looking back from a point where they had recovered or improved. Researchers interviewed 13 women aged 16-29 about their memories of being bedridden and isolated. The study found that patients often felt caught between wanting company and needing to be alone, experienced their bodies as fragile and unstable, endured long periods of darkness and isolation, and eventually had to make sense of these painful memories as they recovered.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

Improving quality in adult long covid services: Findings from the LOCOMOTION quality improvement collaborative.

Darbyshire, Julie, Greenhalgh, Trisha, Bakerly, Nawar D et al.·Clinical medicine (London, England)·2024

This study looked at how ten long COVID clinics across the UK could improve their care for patients by sharing what they were learning with each other. From 2021 to 2023, clinic staff and patients met regularly to discuss the best ways to help people with long COVID, focusing on problems like breathing difficulties, heart rate issues, tiredness, and brain fog. The team created practical guides to help doctors provide better, more consistent care.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not required

Stress-Related Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case Report with a Positive Response to Alpha-Methyl-P-Tyrosine (AMPT) Treatment.

Ljungström, Maria, Oltra, Elisa, Pardo, Marta·International journal of molecular sciences·2024

This case report describes one patient with ME/CFS who had high levels of stress and an overactive stress-response system in his body. He was treated with a medication called alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT), which lowers stress chemicals in the body, and his symptoms improved. The report suggests that some people with ME/CFS may have problems with how their body produces and manages stress chemicals, and this medication might help them.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

A practical framework for Long COVID treatment in primary care.

Brode, W Michael, Melamed, Esther·Life sciences·2024

This paper provides a practical guide for primary care doctors treating Long COVID patients. It outlines a four-step approach: first, managing energy levels to avoid crashes after activity; second, carefully graduated rehabilitation for physical, mental, and emotional recovery; third, treating specific symptoms like fatigue and pain; and fourth, considering experimental treatments when appropriate.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Widespread Myalgia and Chronic Fatigue: Phagocytes from Macrophagic Myofasciitis Patients Exposed to Aluminum Oxyhydroxide-Adjuvanted Vaccine Exhibit Specific Inflammatory, Autophagic, and Mitochondrial Responses.

Masson, Jean-Daniel, Badran, Ghidaa, Gherardi, Romain K et al.·Toxics·2024

This study examined immune cells from people with macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF), a condition involving long-term inflammation from vaccine aluminum adjuvants lodged in muscle tissue. Researchers found that these immune cells behave abnormally when exposed to aluminum adjuvants: they produce more pain-causing molecules, show signs of energy exhaustion, and struggle to respond to their normal workload. These findings suggest a possible mechanism for why MMF patients develop severe fatigue and widespread muscle pain similar to ME/CFS.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Circulating microaggregates as biomarkers for the Post-COVID syndrome.

Hermann, M, Lisch, C, Gerth, R et al.·IDCases·2024

This study describes one patient with long COVID who experienced severe fatigue, worsening after exertion, pain, and neurological symptoms. Researchers used a special microscopy technique to examine the patient's blood and found tiny clumps of blood cells and proteins (microaggregates) that shouldn't normally be there. After the patient received blood-thinning medications and antiviral treatment, these clumps dissolved and their symptoms significantly improved.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not requiredEditorial

What Makes It Tick: Exploring the Mechanisms of Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.

Wester, Kate E, Nwokeabia, Bianca C, Hassan, Rehana et al.·Cureus·2024

This article discusses Post-treatment Lyme disease Syndrome (PTLDS), a condition where some people experience lasting fatigue, pain, and thinking problems for more than six months after being treated with antibiotics for Lyme disease. The authors suggest these symptoms may result from the body's immune system continuing to react to damage caused by the Lyme bacteria, even after the infection is gone. Currently, there is no blood test or scan to diagnose PTLDS, so doctors rely on patient symptoms and medical history.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Long COVID: a new disease?

Mirofsky, Matias, Catalano, Hugo·Medicina·2024

This article discusses whether Long COVID should be considered a new disease and examines how medical systems can avoid overtreatment. The authors note that Long COVID shares similarities with other post-infection illnesses like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, and they argue that careful, thoughtful medical care is important to prevent unnecessary treatments from making patients worse.

Long COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Effect of Licorice polysaccharides before and after honey-processing on improving chronic fatigue syndrome and its mechanism.

Xia, Wenxin, Wang, Yushu, Tao, Mengxin et al.·International journal of biological macromolecules·2024

This study examined how processing licorice root with honey affects its ability to help with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Researchers found that honey-processed licorice contains higher amounts of certain beneficial components and produced stronger improvements in immune markers (IL-2, IFN-γ, and IgA) compared to raw licorice. The honey processing appears to enhance the plant's natural ability to support the immune system.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Yoo, Yeong-Min, Kim, Kyung-Hoon·The Korean journal of pain·2024

This article explains 'nociplastic pain'—a type of chronic pain that occurs when the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain signals, even when there is no obvious tissue damage or nerve injury. People with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and similar conditions often experience this kind of pain. The article describes how doctors can recognize nociplastic pain and groups it with other conditions that share this same underlying mechanism of nervous system sensitivity.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

SEMIPARAMETRIC BIVARIATE HIERARCHICAL STATE SPACE MODEL WITH APPLICATION TO HORMONE CIRCADIAN RELATIONSHIP.

You, Mengying, Guo, Wensheng·The annals of applied statistics·2024

This study looked at two stress hormones—ACTH and cortisol—in people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia compared to healthy controls. Using a new mathematical method to track these hormones over time, researchers found that healthy people show a normal daily rhythm in how these hormones work together, while patients with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia show an irregular, unpredictable pattern instead.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

[Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Jingfang Granules on chronic fatigue syndrome based on intestinal flora and metabolomics].

Wang, Kun, Wei, Fang-Jiao, Cui, De-Yu et al.·Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica·2024

Researchers tested a traditional Chinese herbal treatment called Jingfang Granules on mice with fatigue symptoms similar to ME/CFS. The treatment improved the mice's physical endurance, reduced markers of exhaustion and inflammation in the blood and tissues, and appeared to work by restoring healthy gut bacteria and adjusting how the body processes certain amino acids.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Strains for Alleviation of Irritable Bowel Disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Zhang, Liang, Ni, Xue, Jiang, Minzhi et al.·Microorganisms·2024

Researchers studied special strains of a probiotic bacteria called Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus to see if they could help with ME/CFS and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). After testing 21 different strains, they found that two strains (WL11 and WL17) reduced fatigue-related symptoms like weight loss, anxiety, and memory problems in mice with CFS-like illness, and also eased IBS symptoms like gut sensitivity and inflammation. However, these results are from animal studies, so we don't yet know if the same effects will work in people.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The interplay between Sars-Cov-2 infection related cardiovascular diseases and depression. Common mechanisms, shared symptoms.

Gonjilashvili, Ana, Tatishvili, Sophio·American heart journal plus : cardiology research and practice·2024

This review examines how COVID-19 can affect both the heart and mental health, and why these problems often occur together. The authors explain that inflammation, unhealthy lifestyle changes, and communication between organs may all play a role. They note that long COVID shares many symptoms with heart and brain problems—like fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, chest pain, and depression—which is why patients need care from multiple medical specialists.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Bao Yuan decoction alleviates fatigue by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway.

Zheng, Yuan, Ren, Xueyang, Qi, Xiaodan et al.·Journal of ethnopharmacology·2024

This study tested a traditional Chinese herbal medicine called Baoyuan Decoction (BYD) to see if it could reduce fatigue in zebrafish models. The researchers found that BYD contains 114 active compounds and appeared to reduce fatigue, inflammation, and oxidative stress by activating specific cellular pathways related to energy metabolism and the body's internal clock.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Post-exertional malaise - A functional brain aberration?

Bruun Bratholm Wyller, Vegard·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2024

This study explores whether post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS where activity makes symptoms worse—might be caused by problems in how the brain functions. Researchers examined brain activity patterns in ME/CFS patients to understand what happens after exertion. The findings suggest that brain function abnormalities could play a role in why patients experience this debilitating symptom.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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mTORC1 syndrome (TorS): unifying paradigm for PASC, ME/CFS and PAIS.

Glymphatic System Dysregulation as a Key Contributor to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Voice of the patient: people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) share in their own words.

[Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome as a complication of COVID-19 post-acute syndrome in adults. Bibliographic Review].

A suffering body, hidden away from others: The experience of being long-term bedridden with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood and adolescence.

Improving quality in adult long covid services: Findings from the LOCOMOTION quality improvement collaborative.

Stress-Related Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case Report with a Positive Response to Alpha-Methyl-P-Tyrosine (AMPT) Treatment.

A practical framework for Long COVID treatment in primary care.

Widespread Myalgia and Chronic Fatigue: Phagocytes from Macrophagic Myofasciitis Patients Exposed to Aluminum Oxyhydroxide-Adjuvanted Vaccine Exhibit Specific Inflammatory, Autophagic, and Mitochondrial Responses.

Circulating microaggregates as biomarkers for the Post-COVID syndrome.

What Makes It Tick: Exploring the Mechanisms of Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.

Long COVID: a new disease?

Effect of Licorice polysaccharides before and after honey-processing on improving chronic fatigue syndrome and its mechanism.

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

SEMIPARAMETRIC BIVARIATE HIERARCHICAL STATE SPACE MODEL WITH APPLICATION TO HORMONE CIRCADIAN RELATIONSHIP.

[Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Jingfang Granules on chronic fatigue syndrome based on intestinal flora and metabolomics].

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Strains for Alleviation of Irritable Bowel Disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The interplay between Sars-Cov-2 infection related cardiovascular diseases and depression. Common mechanisms, shared symptoms.

Bao Yuan decoction alleviates fatigue by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway.

Post-exertional malaise - A functional brain aberration?

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