MAGICAL MEDICINE: HOW TO MAKE AN ILLNESS ... - Invest in ME

2000
143
In 2000, the CFIDS Association of America produced a 24 page document entitled “Neurological Findings
in (ME)CFS: A Survey of the Research” containing 175 references. It is available from the CFIDS
Association of America, email: info@cfids.org
2001
A quantitative assessment of cerebral ventricular volumes in (ME)CFS patients found that volumes were
larger than in the control groups. “The results of this study provide further evidence of pathophysiological changes
in the brains of participants with (ME)CFS” (Lange G, Natelson BH et al. Appl Neuropsychol 2001:8(1):23‐30).
2003
Byron Hyde, medical adviser on ME/CFS to the Canadian Government, pointed out that “ME in adults is
associated with measurable changes in the central nervous system and autonomic function and injury to
the cardiovascular, endocrine and other organs and systems. The patient with the diagnosis of ME/CFS is
chronically and potentially seriously ill. These ME/CFS patients require a total investigation and
essentially a total body mapping to understand the pathophysiology of their illness and to discover what
other physicians may have missed. A patient with ME is a patient whose primary disease is central
nervous system change, and this is measurable. The belief that ME/CFS is a psychological illness is the
error of our time”. (The Complexities of Diagnosis. Byron Hyde. In: Handbook of Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome Leonard A Jason et al. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2003).
2003
Research at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, identified a gene that may link certain pesticides and
chemical weaponry to a number of neurological disorders. The finding, published in the 17 March online
version of Nature Genetics, was the first to demonstrate a clear genetic link between neurological disorders
and exposure to organophosphate (OP) chemicals. OPs include household pesticides as well as the nerve
gas sarin. The research showed that OPs inhibit the activity of a gene called neuropathy target esterase
(NTE). Some of the neurological problems echoed many of the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome.
This is important because the Proceedings of The National Academy of Science (PNAS) published evidence
that NTE is inhibited by several OP pesticides, chemical warfare agents, lubricants and plasticisers, leading
to OP‐induced delayed neuropathy in more than 30,000 human cases (PNAS 2003:100:13:7983‐7987).
(This is highly significant in ME/CFS, because subsequent gene expression research demonstrated 16 genes
as having an expression profile associated with (ME)CFS. These genes can be grouped according to immune,
neuronal and mitochondrial functions. A neuronal component was identified that is associated with central
nervous system hypomyelination, and the researchers specifically noted the association of
organophosphates and chemical warfare agents: “A neuronal component is suggested by up‐regulation of NTE.
NTE is a target for organophosphates and chemical warfare agents, both of which may precipitate (ME)CFS” (N
Kaushik, ST Holgate, JR Kerr et al. J Clin Pathol 2005:58:826‐832). Stephen Holgate is MRC Clinical Professor
of Immunopharmacology at the University of Southampton and this is top‐rank research, not mere
hypothesis).
2004
“The purpose of this study was to determine whether brain activity of (ME)CFS patients during voluntary
motor actions differs from that of healthy controls. Fifty‐eight channels of surface EEG were recorded
simultaneously from the scalp. Major findings include (1) Motor performance of the (ME)CFS patients was poorer
than the controls (2) Relative power of EEG theta frequency band during performance of tasks was significantly