ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4921–4940 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Continuous stress promotes expression of VGF in melanotroph via suppression of dopamine.

Tokizane, Kyohei, Konishi, Hiroyuki, Yasui, Masaya et al.·Molecular and cellular endocrinology·2013

When the body experiences prolonged stress, it can affect how the pituitary gland (a small gland in the brain that controls many hormones) works. In this rat study, researchers found that stress caused increased production of a protein called VGF in certain pituitary cells. Interestingly, this increase happened because stress reduced levels of dopamine, a chemical messenger that normally keeps VGF levels low.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Xenotropic MLV envelope proteins induce tumor cells to secrete factors that promote the formation of immature blood vessels.

Murgai, Meera, Thomas, James, Cherepanova, Olga et al.·Retrovirology·2013

This study examined how certain viruses found in cancer cell lines affect tumor blood vessel growth. Researchers discovered that when tumor cells were infected with specific retroviruses, they produced substances that prevented normal blood vessel maturation, which could make tumors more aggressive and likely to spread. However, the study makes clear that these viruses do not actually infect humans and are not responsible for ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and encephalomyelitis disseminata/multiple sclerosis show remarkable levels of similarity in phenomenology and neuroimmune characteristics.

Morris, Gerwyn, Maes, Michael·BMC medicine·2013

This review compares ME/CFS with multiple sclerosis (MS), another recognized neurological disease, and found striking similarities between them. Both conditions cause severe fatigue that worsens with exercise, autonomic problems (like dizziness and heart rate issues), and involve similar patterns of immune system activation and mitochondrial dysfunction (problems with how cells produce energy). The study suggests ME/CFS should be recognized as a genuine neuroimmune illness, similar to MS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Assessment of intracellular cytokines and regulatory cells in patients with autoimmune diseases and primary immunodeficiencies - novel tool for diagnostics and patient follow-up.

Osnes, Liv T, Nakken, Britt, Bodolay, Edit et al.·Autoimmunity reviews·2013

This article reviews how scientists measure specific immune system molecules called cytokines and immune cells to help diagnose and monitor autoimmune diseases and immune deficiencies. By measuring both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers together, doctors can better understand what's happening in a patient's immune system and track whether treatments are working.

BiomarkersImmune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

[Moxibustion at Yongquan (KI 1) for sleep disorders of chronic fatigue syndrome].

Chen, Xiao-Qin, Gang, Zhi-Xiu, Xu, Zhi-Peng·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2013

This study explored whether moxibustion—a traditional Chinese medicine technique involving burning herbs near the skin—might help improve sleep problems in people with ME/CFS. The treatment focused on a specific acupuncture point on the sole of the foot called Yongquan (KI 1). While the study suggests this approach may have helped some patients sleep better, the research quality is limited and more rigorous testing is needed.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredMechanistic

Anti depressant activity of Mamsyadi Kwatha: An Ayurvedic compound formulation.

Shreevathsa, M, Ravishankar, B, Dwivedi, Rambabu·Ayu·2013

Researchers tested an Ayurvedic herbal mixture called Mamsyadi Kwatha to see if it could help with depression and fatigue-like symptoms in mice. The mixture contains three plant ingredients and showed some ability to reduce signs of depression and fatigue in animal tests, suggesting it might have antidepressant properties.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in atopic dermatitis.

Sivaranjani, N, Rao, S Venkata, Rajeev, G·Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR·2013

This study looked at whether skin damage from harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species plays a role in atopic dermatitis (eczema). Researchers compared 25 people with atopic dermatitis to 25 healthy people and measured levels of damaging molecules and protective antioxidants in their bodies. They found that people with eczema had more damage and lower levels of natural protective substances, suggesting that antioxidants might help treat the condition.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Self-regulatory fatigue in chronic multisymptom illnesses: scale development, fatigue, and self-control.

Nes, Lise Solberg, Ehlers, Shawna L, Whipple, Mary O et al.·Journal of pain research·2013

This study created a new questionnaire to measure a specific type of mental tiredness called self-regulatory fatigue—the exhaustion that comes from having to constantly manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Researchers gave this 18-question test to nearly 300 people with chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, along with standard fatigue and self-control tests. They found that this mental tiredness is related to, but distinct from, physical fatigue—suggesting it's a separate problem worth measuring and understanding.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Case definitions and diagnostic criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic fatigue Syndrome: from clinical-consensus to evidence-based case definitions.

Morris, Gerwyn, Maes, Michael·Neuro endocrinology letters·2013

Over the past 50+ years, doctors have created many different definitions and diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS, but these criteria were often based on expert opinion rather than scientific evidence. This paper examines why so many different definitions exist and argues that future diagnostic criteria should be built on objective test results (like blood work and brain imaging) rather than just symptoms alone, to better distinguish between ME and CFS as two related but separate conditions.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Back pain and somatisation].

Jenewein, Josef·Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique·2013

Back pain is common in people with somatoform disorders, where physical symptoms occur without a clear medical cause. About 10–20% of back pain patients have this type of disorder, and up to half also experience depression or anxiety. Doctors need to distinguish somatoform pain from other conditions like fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. Treatment typically involves talk therapy, relaxation techniques, physical activity, and sometimes antidepressant medications.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Psychobiotics: a novel class of psychotropic.

Dinan, Timothy G, Stanton, Catherine, Cryan, John F·Biological psychiatry·2013

This review examines 'psychobiotics'—beneficial bacteria that may help with mood and mental health by producing brain chemicals like serotonin. These bacteria communicate with the brain through the gut-brain connection. Early research in animals and some patient studies suggests they might reduce depression, anxiety, and fatigue symptoms, possibly by lowering inflammation and stress hormone levels.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Review of the effects of mindfulness meditation on mental and physical health and its mechanisms of action].

Ngô, Thanh-Lan·Sante mentale au Quebec·2013

This review looked at whether mindfulness meditation—a practice of focused attention and acceptance—can help improve both mental and physical health. The authors found that mindfulness may reduce stress, ease chronic pain and fatigue, improve sleep, and help the body's immune system work better. They also describe how meditation appears to change the way the brain works, particularly in areas that control emotions, attention, and how we perceive physical sensations.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

[Effect of acupuncture intervention on learning-memory ability and cerebral superoxide dismutase activity and malonaldehyde concentration in chronic fatigue syndrome rats].

Liu, Chang-zheng, Lei, Bo·Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research·2013

Researchers tested whether acupuncture could help rats with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) learn and remember better. They found that acupuncture improved memory performance in fatigued rats and also increased protective molecules in the brain while reducing harmful ones, suggesting acupuncture may work by protecting brain cells from oxidative damage.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

The effects of exercise on dynamic sleep morphology in healthy controls and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kishi, Akifumi, Togo, Fumiharu, Cook, Dane B et al.·Physiological reports·2013

This study looked at how sleep changes after exercise in healthy people versus those with ME/CFS. Researchers found that while exercise helped healthy people sleep more deeply and continuously, people with ME/CFS showed different sleep patterns—specifically more disruptions when moving from REM sleep (dream sleep) back to wakefulness. Importantly, these REM sleep disruptions in ME/CFS patients were linked to increased fatigue, pain, and sleepiness the next day.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

A neuro-immune model of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Morris, Gerwyn, Maes, Michael·Metabolic brain disease·2013

This study proposes a theory about how ME/CFS develops and persists. The researchers suggest that an initial infection triggers the immune system, which then gets stuck in an overactive state even after the infection is cleared. This causes ongoing inflammation, energy problems in cells, and damage to the nervous system, leading to the characteristic symptoms including post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity).

NeuroinflammationAutonomic Nervous SystemImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

'The letting go, the building up, [and] the gradual process of rebuilding': identity change and post-traumatic growth in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Arroll, Megan A, Howard, Alex·Psychology & health·2013

This study talked to 10 people with ME/CFS about how the illness changed who they are as a person. Participants described losing abilities they once had, feeling isolated from others, and worrying about their future. Interestingly, some people reported finding unexpected personal growth through this experience—developing a stronger sense of their 'true self' after accepting their new limitations.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Coenzyme Q10 depletion in medical and neuropsychiatric disorders: potential repercussions and therapeutic implications.

Morris, Gerwyn, Anderson, George, Berk, Michael et al.·Molecular neurobiology·2013

This review examines how a natural substance called Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) helps cells produce energy and protect themselves from damage. The authors found that low levels of CoQ10 may contribute to ME/CFS and similar conditions that cause fatigue and exhaustion. Studies suggest that taking CoQ10 supplements might help reduce fatigue and improve exercise tolerance in people with ME/CFS, similar to benefits seen in patients with Parkinson's disease and fibromyalgia.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Energy Conservation/Envelope Theory Interventions to Help Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Brown, Molly, Brown, Abigail et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2013

This study reviewed research on the Energy Envelope approach, a self-management strategy that helps ME/CFS patients track and limit their daily activities to stay within their available energy level. Rather than pushing through exhaustion, patients learn to pace themselves carefully to avoid crashes. Research shows this approach can reduce symptom flare-ups and improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

Acute psychosocial stress-mediated changes in the expression and methylation of perforin in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Falkenberg, Virginia R, Whistler, Toni, Murray, Janna R et al.·Genetics & epigenetics·2013

This study looked at how a stressful situation affects a type of immune cell protein called perforin in people with ME/CFS versus healthy people. Researchers gave both groups a stress test and measured changes in perforin levels and a chemical modification (methylation) that controls whether genes are turned on or off. They found that while both groups increased perforin during stress, people with ME/CFS had a lower peak response and differently regulated perforin levels afterward.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

[A case of lyme disease requiring over 1 year to diagnose at an infectious-disease clinic].

Iwata, Kentaro, Shimada, Tomoe, Kawabata, Hiroki·Kansenshogaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases·2013

This case report describes a 42-year-old woman who had fever and vague symptoms for years but was initially diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. After 14 months, she developed facial paralysis, which prompted testing that revealed she actually had Lyme disease—an infection spread by tick bites. A month of antibiotics improved her symptoms. The report highlights that Lyme disease is rare in Japan but may be underdiagnosed and should be considered in patients with unexplained fevers.

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Evidence browser

Continuous stress promotes expression of VGF in melanotroph via suppression of dopamine.

Xenotropic MLV envelope proteins induce tumor cells to secrete factors that promote the formation of immature blood vessels.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and encephalomyelitis disseminata/multiple sclerosis show remarkable levels of similarity in phenomenology and neuroimmune characteristics.

Assessment of intracellular cytokines and regulatory cells in patients with autoimmune diseases and primary immunodeficiencies - novel tool for diagnostics and patient follow-up.

[Moxibustion at Yongquan (KI 1) for sleep disorders of chronic fatigue syndrome].

Anti depressant activity of Mamsyadi Kwatha: An Ayurvedic compound formulation.

Role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in atopic dermatitis.

Self-regulatory fatigue in chronic multisymptom illnesses: scale development, fatigue, and self-control.

Case definitions and diagnostic criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic fatigue Syndrome: from clinical-consensus to evidence-based case definitions.

[Back pain and somatisation].

Psychobiotics: a novel class of psychotropic.

[Review of the effects of mindfulness meditation on mental and physical health and its mechanisms of action].

[Effect of acupuncture intervention on learning-memory ability and cerebral superoxide dismutase activity and malonaldehyde concentration in chronic fatigue syndrome rats].

The effects of exercise on dynamic sleep morphology in healthy controls and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

A neuro-immune model of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome.

'The letting go, the building up, [and] the gradual process of rebuilding': identity change and post-traumatic growth in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Coenzyme Q10 depletion in medical and neuropsychiatric disorders: potential repercussions and therapeutic implications.

Energy Conservation/Envelope Theory Interventions to Help Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Acute psychosocial stress-mediated changes in the expression and methylation of perforin in chronic fatigue syndrome.

[A case of lyme disease requiring over 1 year to diagnose at an infectious-disease clinic].

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Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

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