Mast Cells and "Brain Fog"

From "Mast Cells for Dummies - Dopamine Regulator":

"One of the Mast cells functions is regulating dopamine by releasing the neuropeptide (organic brain chemical) neurotensin. Neurotensin has many effects, one of which is decreasing Dopamine. The mast cells can release more of less neurotensin to decrease or increase dopamine and a dysfunction of the mast cells will throw off dopamine levels. This can lead to a wide range of learning disabilities since the reward driven learning mechanism may either not be rewarding success (not enough dopamine) or rewarding unsuccessful action (too much dopamine)."

Nanonug,
Thanks for posting. Very interesting. Many correlations with ME/CFS. The following quote from the paper struck me as very applicable to our condition.

Patients with most types of MCAD often initially enjoy symptom-free intervals interspersed amongst symptomatic periods. Over time, symptom-free intervals shorten, and finally symptoms become chronic with intensity which fluctuates but with an overall trend toward steadily increasing intensity.

Unfortunately, it looks like definitive diagnosis requires a bone marrow biopsy. Am I reading that correctly? Also, do you know if any labs are prepared to do these biopsies and blood work that are mentioned in the paper?

Thanks,
Dan

Given that no one knows what ME/CFS is, I think MCAS is ME/CFS for a good amount of people.

For mastocytosis, yes. For MCAS, things such as tryptase, urinaty N-methylhistamine or certain urinary prostaglandins are diagnostic.

I would say yes!

Could be over active due to infection as you already know.

flip a coin one syndrome or another.....sorry just crabby today, sick of dealing with it. Then down on myself because I know others have it so much worse. See the Dr in three days and dont want to go, just feels like waste of time and money. How many years to we keep fighting the batttle (w/o acknowledgement). I would like to walk away from job but seems foolish, there is still a health care carrot being dangled in front of me (but now we are seing so many lose becuase this 'promise' is changed). Do I walk away to give myself less stress or keep trying knowing I seem to be losing the battle with no major win (health or at least improved health, mind and body). I would like to be on a beach right now just listening to the waves and have a cool breeze. sorry for the pity party on your thread.