My question is - after the Lights research was published on gene expression changes after exercise in CFS what did we expect to happen next?
This for the old CFIDS Association (now called Solve ME initiative) is the next "next".
The first "next" was to commission research on gene expression of some specific receptors and some PEM symptoms in patients. That research returned a relationship between some adrenergic and glucocorticoid receptors and the symptoms of fatigue and confusion after exercise they said.
Now they have commissioned the same team to look at the MRI brain activity of patients before and after exercise when they perform fatiguing cognitive tests. It's for this research volunteers are needed. They will also be doing gene expression and metabolics but I get the impression it is brain activity that is their focus.
Some comments on the Webinar (and I'll add to this)
The first part of the talk by Dane Cook explains the paper initial above (Meyer et al). That's about 19 minutes long. The "take home"message from this is that they regard the differences in gene expression of the glucocorticoid receptor to be the reason for the fatigue patients feel after exercise.
There is no mention of any immunological findings from the Lights or much about immunology.
They talk about interactions between different physiological systems but the focus appears to be on the brain. I think it is important that this is their focus and I would appreciate other's opinions on if I have got this right.
The new research project is going to be on PEM and brain function during cognitive tasks using an MRI machine. It goes something like this
They will take patients symptoms, take blood samples for gene expression, then scan their brains using MRI whilst they perform "not fatiguing" and "non fatiguing" cognitive tests like mentally adding numbers, number recognition, measure physical activity for 1 week, take blood, symptoms, exercise to 70%, take metabolics (Oxygen/lactate and others).
24 hours later = more tests
Dane talks about some data from patients already(no idea where this comes from?) This time it sounds as if they will take 10 different symptoms (not the 3 or 4 studied previously) - chills, muscle pain, concentration, fever, joint pain, headache, sore throat, fatigue, memory, lymph.
I'm still working and trying to understand the Webinar so will be adding to this and correcting. Please send me a PM if I have anything horribly wrong.
TBC