Maes & Twisk: Inflammatory Markers are Higher in ME/CFS than in Depression

[currer]

Inflammation was seen in the dorsal root ganglia (these are sensory nerves leading off the spinal cord)

This is why we suffer from intolerance to stimuli but can move our limbs as opposed to polio sufferers who have inflammation in the motor ganglia - hence the nerves that control movement are damaged.

 

[alex3619]

There is a lot of older research on neurological inflammation in ME, but I am not very well read on it. This goes back to the Royal Free Hospital epidemic I think. Maybe someone who has some of the older published paperrs can comment.

It was also found, I vaguely recall, that ME can be induced in monkeys (around 1955?) by innoculating them with blood or plasma from ME patients (not that it was called ME back then). I think they found inflammation in their brains afterward. I do not have the original paper for this, I have only read comments on it from much later in the literature.

Bye, Alex

 

[Mula]

I have this paper somewhere. I will try to locate it.

 

[Firestormm]

Here's a link to the autopsy-work I was talking about: http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=3765 Been a while since I last perused it though - not that I recall there being much to peruse...

I think as Bob mentioned earlier in the thread, we need to consider 'inflammation' and what might constitute a validation of 'encephalomyelitis' as well as or in addition to what might constitute inflammation of the brain and/or spinal cord.

I mean, hell, taking Ibuprofen could for all I know help both a sprain and brain inflammation! Silly I know, but nevertheless not all inflammation constitutes/validates neurological inflammation of course.

Whether or not the paper at the start of this thread adds something to the debate I don't know (haven't read it), but Maes has produced previous research into depression and ME that I am aware of and I'm sure other studies exist. Be interesting (or perhaps not) to learn if he is treating folk and how and with what - being in Thailand he could probably do more than if he practised in the UK I expect (and I'm certainly not suggesting any treatment he might propose is necessarily a 'good thing' by any means).

FWIW I don't give a Rhesus whether or not 'inflammation' proves essentially of the same sort as seen in Depression as is found in ME. I would say though that I don't in my own experience believe that if what I do experience is in some way 'inflammation' that anti-depressants help very much/at all.

 

[Firestormm]

There is a lot of older research on neurological inflammation in ME, but I am not very well read on it. This goes back to the Royal Free Hospital epidemic I think. Maybe someone who has some of the older published paperrs can comment.

It was also found, I vaguely recall, that ME can be induced in monkeys (around 1955?) by innoculating them with blood or plasma from ME patients (not that it was called ME back then). I think they found inflammation in their brains afterward. I do not have the original paper for this, I have only read comments on it from much later in the literature.

Bye, Alex

Would the Lancet paper by Acheson in 1956 A new clinical entity? be of assistance in this regard? If so, I can't let you have it because I can't find the darn thing! I did read it but I can't honestly recall if it even went in this direction with any specific evidence/findings. Indeed from what I recall I was left rather unimpressed about what was meant to be the 'launch of ME'. Still, it would be nice to read it again if anyone can let me have a copy? Thanks.

 

[lansbergen]

I mean, hell, taking Ibuprofen could for all I know help both a sprain and brain inflammation! Silly I know, but nevertheless not all inflammation constitutes/validates neurological inflammation of course..

Ibuprofen did nothing for me.

Futhermore I noticed that paracetamol did not ease my ME pain but helped a lot for injury pain present at the same time.