CFS/ME caused by the Autonomic Nervous System?

[Womble]

I have had CFS/ME for over 20 years. In that time, I've heard several theories, which I'm sure you are familiar with:

• Adrenal imbalance
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Yeast/Candida
• Virus or Retro-Virus
• Toxins
• Immune System Imbalance
• Nitric Oxide Cycle
• Hormonal Imbalance

And the list of possible causes goes on and on, almost seeming to never end.

I recently came across a very plausible theory that I think is very likely to be correct and needs to be researched further.

The theory postulates that since there are so many systems of the body that are effected by CFS, the governing mechanism must be the Autonomic Nervous System. It is the imbalance of the ANS, a neurological damage or root cause, that makes all the other systems go out of whack. The ANS controls the adrenals, immune, digestive, and all other systems.

This explains why there are so many different paths to getting CFS, and why there are so many treatments that are effective but not curative.

In my own experience, this also explains not only all my symptoms, but why taking certain supplements might make things temporarily better but ultimately worse. Basically, certain treatments are helping the immune system but causing the ANS to go further out of balance.

I think that research needs to focus on the neurological damage to the ANS.

What do you guys think of this theory?

 

[alex3619]

The argument is based on a command and control hypothesis. Command and control systems also involve hormones and the immune system, both of which are implicated. So it might be right, or partly right, but immune and hormone factors are also not ruled out.

The immune system is highly diverse and can impact many other systems over the entire body. In particular it is a huge factor in gut health.

How many hormones are there? We don't know. We keep discovering new ones. Last I checked there were hundreds of hormones, many of which are not well understood.

However the brain is not understood either. So much is still to be discovered.

If the argument is that there is a communication, command or control problem (also called CCC) then I think its likely. It also probably connects to autonomic issues. We still await the science that defines what that connection is.