Het lijkt erop dat er ook in Engeland sprake is van een (kleine?) koerswijziging.

Jarenlang werd overheidssubsidie voor onderzoek naar de biologische afwijkingen

van ME en CVS door de Medical Research Council (MRC) afgewezen,

maar nu lijkt het dat de MRC eindelijk het licht heeft gezien...

Dit is mede te danken aan het noeste werk van Countess de Mar en Prof. Hooper

en de "ME/CVS-positieve" houding van de Liberal Democrats (klik hier).

De projekten, die subsidie ontvangen van de MRC, richten zich op

• het afweersysteem (Ng: afwijkingen, Pariante: relatie IFN-alfa en symptomen),
• orthostatische intolerantie en de relatie met cognitieve problemen (Newton),
• slaapstoornissen (behandeling en de effecten daarvan (Nutt), en
• mitochondriale dysfunctie (in de spieren en het effect van polyfenolen, McArdle).

De onderzoeksgroep van dr. Wessely (Psychological Medicine) is uiteraard

ook weer  bedeeld (via dr. Pariante), maar dat mag, hoop ik, de pret niet drukken.

Het doel van de gesubsidieerde onderzoeksprojekten:

The investment will fund five new projects to investigate

the mechanisms and underlying biological processes involved in the illness,

which could eventually lead to

better diagnosis and the development of more effective treatments.

Een samenvatting van de vijf gesubsidieerde onderzoeksprojekten:

Identifying the biological fingerprints of fatigue

Principal investigator: Dr Wan Ng

Institution: Newcastle University

Summary:

Researchers will analyse the immune systems of more than 500 patients with primary Sjögren syndrome – a chronic condition with similar symptoms to CFS/ME, including intense fatigue. Scientists will look for immune system abnormalities in these patients to help them identify the biological "fingerprints" of fatigue. It is hoped this will improve their understanding of the mechanisms of fatigue with a view to developing new treatments. It also offers the hope of a clinical test for the diagnosis of CFS/ME.

Understanding the pathogenesis of autonomic dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and its relationship with cognitive impairment

Principal investigator: Professor Julia Newton

Institution: Newcastle University

Summary:

Researchers will explore what causes dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system – characterised by dizziness and light-headedness – present in up to 90 per cent of CFS/ME sufferers. They will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure changes in blood flow to the brain and how this relates to cognition and nervous system dysfunction. The researchers hope their work will lay the foundations for new diagnostic tools, a better understanding of nervous system abnormalities and the development of targeted reatments aimed at reversing these abnormalities.

Modulation of aberrant mitochondrial function and cytokine production in skeletal muscle of patients with CFS by supplementary polyphenols

Principal investigator: Professor Anne McArdle

Institution: University of Liverpool (joint with the University of Leeds )

Summary:

Scientists will use a newly-developed technique to study the energy-generating components of muscle cells (mitochondria). Some studies have suggested that mitochondria may be dysfunctional in CFS/ME, leading to an energy deficit. The scientists hope this will help them learn more about how CFS/ME develops and becomes a chronic condition.

Can enhancing slow wave sleep SWS improve daytime function in patients with CFS?

Principal investigator: Professor David Nutt

Institution: Imperial College London

Summary:

Researchers will study sleep disturbance – a core symptom of CFS/ME. Experts in CFS/ME, sleep and psychopharmacology will use a drug to increase deep restorative sleep in CFS/ME patients and measure the effect on their brain function during waking hours. It is hoped the research will increase their understanding of how sleep disturbance affects CFS/ME sufferers, with a view to developing new therapies.

Persistent fatigue induced by interferon-alpha:

a new immunological model for chronic fatigue syndrome

Principal investigator: Dr Carmine Pariante

Institution: King’s College London

Summary:

Researchers will examine the effects of a protein called interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on the immune system. IFN-alpha is produced as a protective response to viral infection and is commonly used to treat infections such as hepatitis C. IFN-alpha also induces fatigue and flu-like symptoms in patients, similar to that experienced by patients with CFS/ME. The team will follow patients undergoing IFN-alpha treatment for Hepatitis C over a number of months to define the biological changes that occur in relation to the development of fatigue. Their work could lead to a check-list of blood measures to predict who will develop CFS/ME, as well as identifying new targets for therapy.

Voor meer informatie:

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=9760 en

http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Newspublications/News/MRC008410