# CFS brain abnormalities



## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

[JvR: reference: Help ME Circle, 30 August 2002;"CFS -increase choline in occipital cortex" - full title:"Relative increase in choline in the occiptal cortex in chronicfatigue syndrome", see Co-Cure: http://listserv.nodak.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A...ure&F=&S=&P=440 ````````````````````````````Important new research findingson brain abnormalities in ME/CFS-----------------------------------------------by Dr. Charles ShepherdJOURNAL REFERENCE: Relative increase in choline in theocciptal cortex in chronic fatigue syndrome. Acta PsychiatricScand, 2002, 106, 224-226.I have just been reading some very interesting and importantnew research findings on brain abnormalities in CFS that havebeen reported by scientists working at Imperial College, Londonand the Hammersmith Hospital, London.Using a brain scanning technique called MRI spectroscopy,which enables researchers to look at chemical and metabolicabnormalities in the brain, the scientists have reported:1*) Results which indicate that levels of a chemical calledcholine are significantly increased in the small number of peoplewith ME/CFS that they looked at. (Interesting to note that somedoctors have prescribed choline supplements for patients withencephalitis and ME/CFS - these results suggest that this maynow be inappropriate in ME/CFS.)2*) Increased levels of choline are associated withabnormalities in phospholipid metabolism, and there maytherefore be a disturbance in phospholipid metabolism inME/CFS (This is something which could also open up possibletherapeutic interventions).3*) These results add further weight to some recently reportedperfusion (blood flow) studies which suggest that there may bepathophysiological abnormalities occurring in the cerebral cortexof ME/CFS patients. (The cerebral cortex is a part of the brainthat is primarily concerned with processing visual information butit does have other non-visual functions as well).tom


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## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

cfs and HPA axis info:Neuropsychological performance and noradrenaline function in chronicfatigue syndrome under conditions of high arousal.Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2002 Sep;163(2):166-73Authors: Richard K. Morriss [1], Michael J. Robson [2] and J. F. WilliamDeakin [2]Affiliations: [1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool,Royal Liverpool Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK [E-Mail:mailto:r.k.morris###liverpool.ac.uk ][2] University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UKNLM Citation: PMID: 12202963RATIONALE. Subjective and objective impairments in neuropsychologicalfunction have been reported in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patientsunder conditions of high arousal. These impairments may reflect impairedcentral noradrenaline function such as impaired post-synaptic alpha-2adrenoceptor function.OBJECTIVES. To determine whether high-dose clonidine has greater agonisteffects at central post-synaptic alpha-2 receptors in CFS patients thancontrols under conditions of high arousal. As a result clonidine mayreverse neuropsychological deficits underlying symptoms of poorconcentration and memory.METHODS. High-dose clonidine (2.5 mg/kg) and placebo challenge tests weregiven in random order to ten medication-free CFS patients without anxietydisorders, depressive disorders or migraine and ten matched healthycontrols under the same stressors (timed neuropsychological testing,venous sampling, intravenous drug administration). Growth hormone,cortisol, blood pressure, pulse rate, visual analogue scales ofsubjective neuropsychological performance and the performance on severaltests from a computerised neuropsychological battery were measured.RESULTS. In CFS patients versus controls, clonidine enhanced both growthhormone ( P=0.028) and cortisol release ( P=0.021) and increased speed inthe initial stage of a planning task ( P=0.023). There were no otherdifferences between CFS patients and controls on hormonal, physiological,symptomatic or neuropsychological measures.CONCLUSIONS. Under conditions of high arousal, CFS patients may displaysupersensitive central post-synaptic alpha-2 adrenoceptor functionassociated with the release of cortisol and growth hormone and initialthinking time in planning tasks. --------------------------------------------- Co-Cure Web Site: http://www.co-cure.org/ Send posts to mailto:CO-CURE###listserv.nodak.edu Join or leave the list at http://www.co-cure.org/sub.htm Co-Cure is not a discussion list. Please do not reply to the list. ---------------------------------------------tom


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