Study finds brain-targeted autoimmunity plays key role in long COVID ME/CFS

[Hip]

A new study finds long COVID ME/CFS is associated with autoantibodies directed at the following brain proteins:

• Myelin basic protein (MBP)
• Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)
• Tubulin
• Cerebellar protein-2 (CP2)
• Synapsin

Myelin basic protein (MBP) plays a role in the formation and maintenance of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a component of the myelin sheath.

Tubulin is a protein that forms the building blocks of microtubules, which in one theory is the cellular component that underpins consciousness (orchestrated objective reduction theory of consciousness).

Cerebellar protein-2 (CP2) is mainly found in Purkinje neurons, which play a role in motor control and coordination.

Synapsins are involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter release at the synapses.



Autoantibody attack on these proteins was also found associated with the affective symptoms (mood disorders) found in long COVID ME/CFS patients.

Professor Michael Maes, a well-known ME/CFS researcher, is one of the study authors.

 

[Wishful]

Wouldn't tubulin dysfunction show up all over the body? AFAIK, it's a critical component of every cell. BTW, I checked the consciousness theory, and agreed with the comment that a theory based on pixie dust is just as reasonable.

 

[Hip]

and agreed with the comment that a theory based on pixie dust is just as reasonable

Well a theory based on pixie dust might be accessible for a 5 year old, whereas one would first need PhDs in quantum theory, philosophy of mind, neuroscience, cognitive science, and the hard problem of consciousness in order to understand the technicalities of orchestrated objective reduction theory of consciousness.


One interesting finding comes from the field of anaesthesia: there are a range of anaesthetics which can eliminate consciousness without otherwise affecting brain function. However, anaesthetics are chemically dissimilar, and there is no overarching theory which fully explains how they work. But a study found that disparate anaesthetics are able to bind to the tubulin in microtubules, and dampen their oscillations, thereby dampening the quantum states within the microtubules. So Hameroff and Penrose think anaesthetics may obliterate consciousness at source, and believe further study on the mechanisms of anaesthetics will provide evidence for their theory.

I think it is also interesting that in Alzheimer's, where consciousness is progressively lost, there is a dysfunction of microtubules.

 

[southwestforests]

Myelin basic protein (MBP) plays a role in the formation and maintenance of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a component of the myelin sheath.

That brings to mind that at some point among the various deep studies military doctors have done on my Dad since he was diagnosed with ME/CFS in mid 1980s it was found that the nerves which control his breathing (control the muscles involved? I don't remember the fine details of the thing) were/are demyelinating.

 

[Hip]

the nerves which control his breathing were/are demyelinating.

Just found this 2023 study which found that some ME/CFS patients have catalytic autoantibodies (abzymes) that cause the breakdown of myelin basic protein. So it looks like this can happen in regular ME/CFS too.

 

[southwestforests]

So it looks like this can happen in regular ME/CFS too.

Ahh. I like that you found it. Deeply dislike that it happens to people.