Neural consequences of post-exertion malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Cook, Light +

May 2017
Neural consequences of post-exertion malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Dane B.CookabAlan R.LightcKathleen C.LightcGordonBroderickdMorgan R.ShieldsbRyan J.DoughertybJacob D.MeyerbStephanieVanRiperbAaron J.StegnerbLaura D.EllingsoneSuzanne D.Vernonf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088915911730051X?via=ihub#t0005

 

Thanks kindly for the bump @Sly Saint . You've saved me a job I was going to do later. On a brief read, seems that SMCI are ahead of the curve on this one, and seems to be the kind of approach many of us have been asking for?

I'll look forward to reading comments from folks more qualified than me to do so .. do your thing s4me

Wishing everyone improved health and every happiness. John

 

30 minutes?? How do these patients manage it?

 

Yeah, really. 30 minutes of exercise is a whole lot for someone with ME. I’d be passed out long before that...

 

While it's welcome to see research that appears to chime with personal experience (when subject to a stressor my brain turns to mush) unfortunately the results are open to interpretation that might support the BPS model. No criticism of the researchers - it's just the way it is.

I could imagine that a BPS interpretation would see the cognitive deficits found (errors made) as reflecting either top down executive function or attentional processes leading to PWME excessively focusing on normal symptoms to the detriment of cognitive processes (too much bandwidth taken up attending to normal sensations).

It may or may not be the case however that attentional processes in PWME's brains are overactivated because there is an earlier signalling problem (as per the Lights' work) that means they are being bombarded with sensory information. Unfortunately there's no way of telling from this study. We would need to show abnormal signalling at the pre-attentional level was driving the cognitive deficits and not some problem with top down control subject to 'conscious' control.

PS - I've just skimmed this paper for apologies if these issues were addressed.

Another small issue is that I do wish they wouldn't chuck in the kitchen sink when trying to make a case (e.g. 'white lesions' - barely relevant or Morris and Maes' 'feed- forward' theory - nice speculation I'm sure but hardly evidence). It just risks undermining their credibility.