ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

5041–5060 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from chronic fatigue syndrome patients for multiple human ubiquitous viruses and xenotropic murine leukemia-related virus.

Schutzer, Steven E, Rounds, Megan A, Natelson, Benjamin H et al.·Annals of neurology·2011

Researchers tested cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid around the brain and spinal cord) from 43 ME/CFS patients to look for XMRV, a virus that some earlier studies suggested might be present in ME/CFS patients' blood. They also tested for several other common viruses. The study found none of these viruses in the cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting that if a virus is involved in ME/CFS, it may work differently than previously thought.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Increased HDAC in association with decreased plasma cortisol in older adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jason, Leonard, Sorenson, Matthew, Sebally, Kebba et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2011

This study examined stress hormone systems in older adults with ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) but higher levels of an enzyme called HDAC and lower antioxidant protection. These findings suggest that the body's stress response system isn't working properly in ME/CFS, possibly due to increased cellular stress.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCase-Control

Adolescents with severe chronic fatigue syndrome can make a full recovery.

Burgess, Mary, Chalder, Trudie·BMJ case reports·2011

This case report describes a severely ill adolescent with ME/CFS who recovered with help from a rehabilitation program combined with strong family support. The study highlights that young people with severe ME/CFS, who are often confined to bed or home, can improve significantly with the right treatment approach and family involvement. The authors emphasize that many severely affected young people in the UK are not receiving adequate care for this serious illness.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Recombinant origin of the retrovirus XMRV.

Paprotka, Tobias, Delviks-Frankenberry, Krista A, Cingöz, Oya et al.·Science (New York, N.Y.)·2011

Scientists studied a virus called XMRV that had been reported in some ME/CFS patients. They traced where this virus actually came from by examining cancer cell lines and tumors that had been grown in mice. They found that XMRV didn't exist in the original tumor but was created when two similar mouse viruses accidentally combined during laboratory handling. This suggests that when XMRV appeared in patient samples, it likely came from contamination during testing rather than being a real cause of ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The search for reliable biomarkers of disease in multiple chemical sensitivity and other environmental intolerances.

De Luca, Chiara, Raskovic, Desanka, Pacifico, Valeria et al.·International journal of environmental research and public health·2011

This review examines why some people develop severe reactions to chemicals, foods, and environmental exposures at levels that shouldn't cause harm. The authors argue these conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivity—are real biological disorders, not just psychological problems. They explore evidence that problems with how the body detoxifies and handles harmful substances, along with imbalances in antioxidant protection, may be key to understanding these diseases.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Infection, viral dissemination, and antibody responses of rhesus macaques exposed to the human gammaretrovirus XMRV.

Onlamoon, Nattawat, Das Gupta, Jaydip, Sharma, Prachi et al.·Journal of virology·2011

This study examined whether XMRV, a virus that had been proposed as a potential cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, could establish persistent infection in primates similar to humans. Researchers injected five macaques with XMRV and tracked the virus over 9 months, finding that it created a long-lasting infection that spread to multiple organs and tissues, even when it disappeared from the blood. The virus affected different cell types in different organs and triggered some immune responses, but these responses were weak and didn't effectively clear the infection.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

A Chinese herbal decoction, Danggui Buxue Tang, improves chronic fatigue syndrome induced by food restriction and forced swimming in rats.

Liu, Ya, Zhang, Hai-Gang, Li, Xiao-Hui·Phytotherapy research : PTR·2011

Researchers tested a traditional Chinese herbal mixture called Danggui Buxue Tang on rats engineered to have chronic fatigue-like symptoms. Rats treated with the herb showed improvements in body weight, physical endurance, and markers of immune function, suggesting the herbal mixture might help reduce fatigue by calming overactive immune responses.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Hepatitis C virus enters human peripheral neuroblastoma cells - evidence for extra-hepatic cells sustaining hepatitis C virus penetration.

Bürgel, B, Friesland, M, Koch, A et al.·Journal of viral hepatitis·2011

This study investigated whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) can infect and replicate in nerve cells, since some HCV patients experience fatigue, depression, and memory problems. Researchers tested whether HCV could enter and survive in different types of brain and nerve cells in the laboratory. They found that HCV could enter one type of peripheral nerve cell, but could not replicate in any of the brain or nerve cell types tested.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

XMRV, prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kenyon, Julia C, Lever, Andrew M L·British medical bulletin·2011

A virus called XMRV was discovered in 2009 and researchers initially thought it might be linked to ME/CFS. However, studies from different countries could not confirm this connection, and many scientists now believe the virus was not actually present in patient samples but was instead introduced by accident during laboratory testing. While the virus can infect human cells in theory, it does not appear to be a significant cause of ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia: how and why.

Hayhoe, Simon·Pain management·2011

Fibromyalgia is a condition causing widespread muscle pain, tiredness, and sleep problems that doctors still debate about. It shares some features with ME/CFS and may involve both physical changes in how the nervous system processes pain and psychological factors. Treatment typically includes certain antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, and talking therapy with gentle exercise, though most patients only get partial improvement.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Detection of murine leukemia virus or mouse DNA in commercial RT-PCR reagents and human DNAs.

Zheng, HaoQiang, Jia, Hongwei, Shankar, Anupama et al.·PloS one·2011

Scientists tested commercial laboratory reagents and DNA samples commonly used in medical research and found that many contained mouse virus sequences (MLV). These contaminations appear to come from the manufacturing process and could produce false-positive test results if not properly identified. This discovery is important because earlier ME/CFS studies reporting MLV detection may have been affected by these contaminated supplies rather than finding a real virus in patients.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclear

Analysis of XMRV integration sites from human prostate cancer tissues suggests PCR contamination rather than genuine human infection.

Garson, Jeremy A, Kellam, Paul, Towers, Greg J·Retrovirology·2011

This study examined whether XMRV, a virus previously claimed to be found in ME/CFS patients, was actually present in human tissue samples. Researchers found that some of the viral DNA sequences reported as coming from patients were actually identical to sequences from viruses grown in a laboratory dish in the same lab, suggesting the samples were contaminated during testing rather than representing real human infection.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Testing strategies for detection of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus infection.

Tang, Shixing, Hewlett, Indira K·Advances in virology·2011

Researchers examined different laboratory methods to detect XMRV, a virus that was suspected to be linked to both prostate cancer and ME/CFS. Since this virus was discovered in 2006, scientists developed various tests to find it in patient samples, but these tests had not been properly validated or compared. The study highlights that careful testing is needed to avoid false results caused by mouse DNA contamination in samples.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCase-Control

Polymorphisms of adrenergic cardiovascular control genes are associated with adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sommerfeldt, Line, Portilla, Helene, Jacobsen, Line et al.·Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2011

This study looked at genetic differences in genes that control how the body responds to stress and manages heart rate and blood pressure in teenagers with ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS were more likely to have certain genetic variations in two specific genes (COMT and the β₂-adrenergic receptor) compared to healthy people. These genetic differences may affect how well the body's autonomic nervous system (which controls automatic body functions) works during physical stress.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

XMRV: usage of receptors and potential co-receptors.

Setty, Mohan Kumar Haleyur Giri, Devadas, Krishnakumar, Ragupathy, Viswanath et al.·Virology journal·2011

Scientists studied how a virus called XMRV enters and infects human cells, particularly immune cells. They found that while this virus is known to use one main doorway (called XPR1) to get into cells, it can also use other doorways, including ones normally used by immune system molecules called chemokine receptors. This suggests the virus may be more flexible at infecting different types of cells than previously thought.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

The left half of the XMRV retrovirus is present in an endogenous retrovirus of NIH/3T3 Swiss mouse cells.

Mendoza, Ramon, Vaughan, Andrew E, Miller, A Dusty·Journal of virology·2011

Scientists searched for where XMRV (a virus once suspected in ME/CFS) might have originally come from by looking in mouse cells. They found a piece of XMRV in mouse DNA but not a complete virus. This discovery suggests XMRV has mouse origins and warns that lab contamination from mouse cells could create false positive results when testing for this virus.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Nucleic Acid, Antibody, and Virus Culture Methods to Detect Xenotropic MLV-Related Virus in Human Blood Samples.

Kearney, M F, Lee, K, Bagni, R K et al.·Advances in virology·2011

Researchers developed sensitive tests to detect a virus called XMRV in blood samples. They used their tests on blood and tissue samples from patients with prostate cancer, but did not find the virus in any of the blood samples they tested. This study shows that while their detection methods work well, XMRV was not present in the patients' blood.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Role of infection and neurologic dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Komaroff, Anthony L, Cho, Tracey A·Seminars in neurology·2011

This review examines the connection between infections and ME/CFS, looking at decades of cases where people developed long-lasting fatigue after infections. The authors found evidence that certain viruses and bacteria can cause persistent infections that trigger and maintain ME/CFS symptoms by affecting the nervous system and triggering ongoing immune responses. While no single infection has been proven to cause ME/CFS in all cases, the pattern suggests that chronic infections may be important triggers in some people with the illness.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Chronic fatigue syndrome--a neuroimmunological model.

Arnett, S V, Alleva, L M, Korossy-Horwood, R et al.·Medical hypotheses·2011

This review suggests that ME/CFS may develop when the body has trouble controlling infections early on, leading to long-term inflammation in the brain. The authors propose that this inflammatory process—involving both the immune system and the nervous system—could explain many ME/CFS symptoms and why more women are affected than men. They also suggest that anti-inflammatory treatments targeting a protein called TNF might help patients.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Epigallocatechin gallate ameliorates behavioral and biochemical deficits in rat model of load-induced chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sachdeva, Anand Kamal, Kuhad, Anurag, Chopra, Kanwaljit·Brain research bulletin·2011

Researchers gave rats a substance called EGCG (found in green tea) to see if it could help with fatigue caused by physical and mental stress. The rats that received EGCG showed improvements in tiredness, concentration, and pain compared to rats that didn't receive it, suggesting this compound might have potential as a treatment for ME/CFS.

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Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from chronic fatigue syndrome patients for multiple human ubiquitous viruses and xenotropic murine leukemia-related virus.

Increased HDAC in association with decreased plasma cortisol in older adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Adolescents with severe chronic fatigue syndrome can make a full recovery.

Recombinant origin of the retrovirus XMRV.

The search for reliable biomarkers of disease in multiple chemical sensitivity and other environmental intolerances.

Infection, viral dissemination, and antibody responses of rhesus macaques exposed to the human gammaretrovirus XMRV.

A Chinese herbal decoction, Danggui Buxue Tang, improves chronic fatigue syndrome induced by food restriction and forced swimming in rats.

Hepatitis C virus enters human peripheral neuroblastoma cells - evidence for extra-hepatic cells sustaining hepatitis C virus penetration.

XMRV, prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia: how and why.

Detection of murine leukemia virus or mouse DNA in commercial RT-PCR reagents and human DNAs.

Analysis of XMRV integration sites from human prostate cancer tissues suggests PCR contamination rather than genuine human infection.

Testing strategies for detection of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus infection.

Polymorphisms of adrenergic cardiovascular control genes are associated with adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

XMRV: usage of receptors and potential co-receptors.

The left half of the XMRV retrovirus is present in an endogenous retrovirus of NIH/3T3 Swiss mouse cells.

Nucleic Acid, Antibody, and Virus Culture Methods to Detect Xenotropic MLV-Related Virus in Human Blood Samples.

Role of infection and neurologic dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome--a neuroimmunological model.

Epigallocatechin gallate ameliorates behavioral and biochemical deficits in rat model of load-induced chronic fatigue syndrome.

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