Here’s an analysis of your forum post and some possible biological causes to consider:
Main Symptoms:
Severe brain movement feeling (like bouncing)
Faintness/dizziness
Complete cognitive blankness
Key ME/CFS Triggers:
– Orthostatic intolerance
– Exertion
– Sensory overload (light, noise)
– Heat and chemical triggers
Potential Brain Blood Flow / Vascular Mechanisms
Your symptoms point to
dysregulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF), which is well documented in ME/CFS. In particular:
- Orthostatic Intolerance (OI):
- When upright, cerebral hypoperfusion (reduced blood flow to the brain) can cause dizziness and cognitive shutdown.
- Conditions like POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) or NMH (Neurally Mediated Hypotension) are common in ME/CFS and involve brain blood flow drops.
- Vasoconstriction / Vasodilation issues:
- Autonomic nervous system dysfunction (often seen in ME/CFS) can lead to improper vessel constriction/dilation, causing that "bouncing" sensation or head pressure.
Neuroinflammation and Brain Metabolic Shutdown
- The lack of mental activity might be a transient hypo-metabolic state in the brain, linked to:
- Neuroinflammation (e.g., glial activation, cytokines like IL-6 or TNF-α), which can blunt neuronal activity.
- Oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function, reducing energy available to neurons.
- Hypocapnia (low CO₂) from hyperventilation (common in ME/CFS, especially during OI episodes) can also reduce cerebral blood flow.
Possible Migraine / Spreading Depression Links
- The “bouncing brain” and cognitive shutdown may resemble cortical spreading depression seen in migraine aura—transient waves of reduced brain activity and altered blood flow.
- ME/CFS patients often have migraine-like phenomena without headache, driven by abnormal autonomic tone and metabolic factors.
Structural / Mechanical contributors
- Some with ME/CFS have cervical spine or cranial instability (e.g., Craniocervical Instability, Chiari-like issues) that can impair brainstem blood flow or CSF dynamics.
- Jugular vein compression or thoracic outlet syndrome can reduce venous drainage from the brain, worsening head congestion sensations.
Possible Approaches for Investigation or Relief
Tilt Table Test or active stand test – Check for OI or POTS.
Neurovascular ultrasound or MRI – Check blood flow and structural issues (in some cases, e.g., CCI).
Breathing exercises (slow nasal breathing) – Improve CO₂ and stabilize CBF.
Light exercise in supine position – To gently improve circulation without worsening symptoms.
Vasodilatory agents (carefully!) – Some find
L-arginine, low-dose theobromine or
niacin helpful, but proceed cautiously.
Neuroinflammation modulation – Antioxidants like
CoQ10, curcumin, omega-3s, or mast cell stabilizers (if histamine/MCAS suspected).
Summary
Your “bouncing brain” + faintness + cognitive shutdown sounds like a
blood flow crash, triggered by stressors that unmask underlying
autonomic and neurovascular dysregulation (common in ME/CFS). While exact causes vary, working on stabilizing blood flow (tilt table testing, gentle vasodilation, careful mechanical/postural management) may be a productive direction.
Would you like me to draft questions you could ask your doctor about testing for these mechanisms (like OI, jugular flow, or structural issues)? Let me know!
x
