ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4061–4080 of 6,209 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of protein phosphorylation in hippocampus tissues of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yang, Yan, Sun, Zhong-Ren, Li, Chao-Ran et al.·Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research·2024

Researchers tested whether acupuncture with electrical stimulation could help rats with an artificially induced fatigue-like condition. After 28 days of treatment, the acupuncture-treated rats showed improvements in their overall condition, anxiety levels, and memory compared to untreated rats. The researchers found changes in brain proteins that might explain how the treatment helped.

Cognitive Impairment

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 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 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Patient experiences with requests for medical assistance in dying: Perspectives of those with complex chronic conditions.

Fruhstorfer, Clark, Kelly, Michaela, Spiegel, Laura et al.·Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien·2024

This Canadian study interviewed 16 people with chronic conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia who had requested medical assistance in dying (MAID) because their suffering was not relieved by available treatments. Participants reported that the approval process gave them a sense of control and validation of their illness, even if they didn't immediately use it. Many found value in simply being listened to by researchers who took their experiences seriously.

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 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearLongitudinal

Disentangling pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a resting state connectivity study before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.

van der Schaaf, Marieke E, Geerligs, Linda, Toni, Ivan et al.·Psychological medicine·2024

This study looked at how fatigue and pain affect different networks in the brain of ME/CFS patients by taking brain scans at rest. The researchers found that fatigue and pain involve different brain circuits, suggesting they may be caused by different mechanisms. After cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), patients who improved showed better communication between brain regions associated with movement and the brain's resting network.

Pain and Sensitization

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The molecular fingerprint of neuroinflammation in COVID-19: A comprehensive discussion on molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation due to SARS-COV2 antigens.

Zayeri, Zeinab Deris, Torabizadeh, Mehdi, Kargar, Masoud et al.·Behavioural brain research·2024

This study explains how COVID-19 can damage the brain and nervous system, causing inflammation and injury. The researchers found that about half of people recovering from COVID-19 develop ME/CFS symptoms, and brain scans show reduced activity in key areas that control memory, movement, and mood. The study focuses on the biological mechanisms—essentially how viruses trigger harmful immune responses in the brain that can lead to long-term neurological problems.

Neuroinflammation

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

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

A Practical Approach to Tailor the Term Long COVID for Diagnostics, Therapy and Epidemiological Research for Improved Long COVID Patient Care.

Hoffmann, Kathryn, Stingl, Michael, O'Mahony, Liam et al.·Infectious diseases and therapy·2024

This paper proposes a clearer way to define and categorize long COVID by splitting it into three distinct groups: ongoing COVID-19 symptoms, diseases triggered or worsened by COVID-19, and post-acute COVID condition (which includes symptoms like post-exertional malaise and brain fog). Using clearer definitions and standardized medical codes would help doctors diagnose patients more accurately and allow researchers to study long COVID more effectively.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Cardiac Geometry and Function in Patients with Reflex Syncope.

Coseriu, Giorgia, Schiop-Tentea, Patricia, Apetrei, Csilla-Andrea et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

This review examines how the size and function of the heart relate to fainting episodes in people with reflex syncope. Researchers found that people with smaller hearts and very forceful heartbeats are more prone to fainting, and this pattern is also seen in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Understanding these heart differences may help doctors predict who will faint again and choose better treatments.

Autonomic Nervous 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 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Longitudinal cytokine and multi-modal health data of an extremely severe ME/CFS patient with HSD reveals insights into immunopathology, and disease severity.

Jahanbani, Fereshteh, Sing, Justin Cyril, Maynard, Rajan Douglas et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2024

This study tracked one very severely ill ME/CFS patient over time, measuring immune system markers and detailed health information. Researchers found that the patient's immune system was shifted toward a Th2-type response (typically seen in allergies), with unusually high levels of certain immune chemicals. The study also introduced new smartphone apps to help patients and doctors track symptoms and treatment responses in real time.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The role of clinical neurophysiology in the definition and assessment of fatigue and fatigability.

Tankisi, Hatice, Versace, Viviana, Kuppuswamy, Annapoorna et al.·Clinical neurophysiology practice·2024

This review article explains how doctors and researchers can better understand fatigue and 'fatigability'—the reduced ability to sustain physical or mental effort. The authors describe different types of tests that can measure these problems objectively by looking at how the brain, nerves, and muscles work, rather than relying only on what patients report. These specialized tests may help identify the actual cause of fatigue in different conditions, including long COVID and ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Virtual reality education on myalgic encephalomyelitis for medical students and healthcare professionals: a pilot study.

Anderson, Tara, Duffy, Grace, Corry, Dagmar·BMC medical education·2024

Researchers tested whether a virtual reality (VR) experience could help medical students and healthcare professionals better understand ME/CFS. The VR program showed real stories from people living with ME/CFS and their families. After using the VR experience, both groups showed significantly better understanding of the condition and greater empathy for patients—suggesting that immersive storytelling could be a useful training tool to address the widespread lack of knowledge about ME/CFS in healthcare.

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

Designing and optimizing clinical trials for long COVID.

Vogel, Julia Moore, Pollack, Beth, Spier, Ezra et al.·Life sciences·2024

This study looked at all the clinical trials being tested for Long COVID on a public database and found that most trials are not well-designed or testing treatments that have enough evidence to justify testing. The researchers recommend that future trials should test actual medications that might cure Long COVID, be able to run remotely so sick patients don't have to travel, compare Long COVID to similar illnesses like ME/CFS, include diverse patients of all backgrounds and illness levels, and involve patients as research partners.

Long COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

Exploring the central mechanism of mind-regulation electroacupuncture in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome with anxiety and depression comorbidity based on functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Zeng, Xiangxin, Feng, Chuwen, Zhang, Muhua et al.·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2024

This study tested whether a specific type of acupuncture called 'mind-regulation electroacupuncture' could help people with ME/CFS who also have anxiety and depression. Researchers used brain imaging to see how the treatment changed activity patterns in the brains of 30 patients compared to 30 healthy people. After 2 weeks of treatment, patients reported less fatigue, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems, and their brain scans showed changes in areas related to emotions and fatigue.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Acute Compartment Syndrome and Rhabdomyolysis Caused by a Single Electrical Muscle Stimulation in a 46-Year-Old Female Professional Athlete With Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Disorder: A Case Report.

von Deneen, Karen M, Alemayehu, Dereje Gobena, Khosla, Ajit·Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine·2024

This case report describes a 46-year-old female athlete with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia who experienced a serious muscle injury called rhabdomyolysis after just one session of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) training. Her muscles broke down severely enough to cause compartment syndrome—a dangerous swelling in the muscle tissue—requiring intensive hospital care with fluids and medications. The report warns that people with ME/CFS and similar chronic conditions should be very cautious with EMS training because their bodies may react more severely to this type of exercise.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

[Exercise prescription in post-COVID syndrome: A challenge for primary healthcare].

Yagüe Sebastián, M M, Sánchez Quintanilla, S·Semergen·2024

After COVID-19, some people develop long-lasting symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and muscle pain—a condition called Post-COVID Syndrome. This article discusses how exercise and rehabilitation can help these patients, but emphasizes that doctors need to carefully test patients' fitness, breathing, and strength first before designing a safe exercise program. Working with a team of different healthcare providers gives the best results.

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Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of protein phosphorylation in hippocampus tissues of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Circulating microaggregates as biomarkers for the Post-COVID syndrome.

Patient experiences with requests for medical assistance in dying: Perspectives of those with complex chronic conditions.

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.

Disentangling pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a resting state connectivity study before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

The molecular fingerprint of neuroinflammation in COVID-19: A comprehensive discussion on molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation due to SARS-COV2 antigens.

Post-exertional malaise - A functional brain aberration?

A Practical Approach to Tailor the Term Long COVID for Diagnostics, Therapy and Epidemiological Research for Improved Long COVID Patient Care.

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

Cardiac Geometry and Function in Patients with Reflex Syncope.

Long COVID: a new disease?

Longitudinal cytokine and multi-modal health data of an extremely severe ME/CFS patient with HSD reveals insights into immunopathology, and disease severity.

The role of clinical neurophysiology in the definition and assessment of fatigue and fatigability.

Virtual reality education on myalgic encephalomyelitis for medical students and healthcare professionals: a pilot study.

Designing and optimizing clinical trials for long COVID.

Exploring the central mechanism of mind-regulation electroacupuncture in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome with anxiety and depression comorbidity based on functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Acute Compartment Syndrome and Rhabdomyolysis Caused by a Single Electrical Muscle Stimulation in a 46-Year-Old Female Professional Athlete With Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Disorder: A Case Report.

[Exercise prescription in post-COVID syndrome: A challenge for primary healthcare].

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research