News From Jarred Younger / Neuroinflammation, Pain, and Fatigue Laboratory at UAB, From Aug 2020

[duncan]

Perhaps "diseased" brain would be more appropriate than damaged, although I'm not sure why. My wife damaged her hand when she broke a couple bones in it, but over time it healed and is no longer damaged.

 

[Utsikt]

Didn’t one of the only studies on recovered people find that people who described themselves are “recovered” were still quite limited ability wise compared to people who never had ME. (I don’t have the energy to dig and confirm so relying on my dysfunctional brain memory for this…)

I’ve heard that said as well, but I don’t know where it’s from or if it’s right. For all we know, it’s a result of just partial recovery to a better than mild-state.

I guess we won’t know for sure until we get some long term follow up from effective treatments.

 

[dave30th]

Only if it's right

good point.

 

[poetinsf]

So, there is a way to simulate immune/microglial activation and ME/CFS fatigue. I wonder if there is a way to simulate PEM. Chronic activation means chronic fatigue, but PEM may require acute activation on top of the chronic one. I suppose you could simulate it by giving more dose of endotoxin on top of what is already given.

 

[poetinsf]

If there is actual inflammation in the brain (increased vascular permeability) then you are drowsy, comatose or, if it is local, may appear to have had a stroke. People with ME/CFS do not have those features, however dreadful and unable to do things they may feel.

"Inflammation" in ME/CFS context only means neuroimmune activation, and the subsequent flooding of pro-inflammatory cytokines, rather than the actual swelling of the brain. You can fault people conflating the terms, but you well know swelling is not what they meant.