Chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis have reduced craniospinal compliance and dilated pressurized bridging cortical veins, 2024, G. Bateman

Chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis have reduced craniospinal compliance and dilated pressurized bridging cortical veins

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987723002396?via=ihub

Abstract
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) share similarities regarding their epidemiology, symptomatology and craniospinal physiology. Indeed, the cardinal feature of CFS, fatigue, is also a major factor in the symptomatology of the majority of MS patients.

Recently, we have found that there is a significant reduction in the craniospinal compliance in MS which affects both the stiffness of the walls of the spinal canal and the walls of the cerebral venous system. This change in compliance brings about an alteration in the effectiveness of the pulse wave dampening in the craniospinal system. The result is an impedance mismatch between the cortical veins and their draining sinuses, leading to dilatation of these upstream veins.

We deduce this dilatation can only be brought about by an increase in the pressure gradient between the vein lumen and the subarachnoid space (i.e. the transmural pressure gradient). We hypothesise that given the similarities between MS and CFS, a similar mechanism underlies the physiology of CFS.

We present two case studies to highlight the expected findings in CFS patients if this hypothesis were proven to be correct.

 

I have no idea what that is supposed to mean and I don't think they do either.

 

Good to have this hypothesis formalised and published. I'm a little skeptical of how widespread this could be as an etiology of mecfs but perhaps it is a subset.

To be clear the author, Bateman, is not well-known ME/CFS researcher Lucinda Bateman of Utah. It is instead two Batemans from NSW, Australia, associated with the University of NSW and Newcastle University.