New project on neurocognitive impairment in ME/CFS
ME Research UK was delighted to announce funding to Prof. François Jérôme Authier for a new study assessing neurocognitive impairment in people with ME/CFS.
Cognitive problems are one of the most frequent and disabling symptoms associated with ME/CFS, and most people with the disease report memory and concentration difficulties. Imaging studies have shown that these cognitive deficits are associated with areas of reduced blood flow in the brain. A reduction in the metabolic activity in brain cells has also been identified in certain areas, but it is not yet clear whether this too is associated with cognitive problems.
In the COGNIME study, Prof. Authier and his team plan to analyse clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging data from people with ME/CFS, and also from patients with persistent, profound chronic fatigue but who do not meet diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS.
The researchers aim to establish a detailed picture of cognitive abnormalities in ME/CFS, and whether they correlate with morphological and functional changes in the brain. They anticipate that their findings will clarify the significance of these symptoms in contributing to disability, and the importance of conducting an accurate neuropsychological evaluation in individuals with the disease.
The short-term practical impact may therefore be to improve the care of ME/CFS patients, to improve their disability assessment, and to develop specific therapeutic approaches.
Read more here
International Conference on Clinical and Scientific Advances in ME/CFS and Long COVID
In April, members of ME Research UK’s communications team attended this conference which took place in Lisbon, Portugal.
Five key themes emerged from the presentations, including the history of ME/CFS, challenges in determining the prevalence of the disease, descriptions of the biological abnormalities found in ME/CFS and long COVID, disease heterogeneity in relation to the disease, and the need for comprehensive clinical assessment.
You can read more on our website.
Founders’ Science Writing Award 2024: “The Future of ME/CFS”
In May, ME Research UK announced the launch of the Founders’ Science Writing Award – a competition giving early career researchers the opportunity to develop skills in communicating science in a way that is accessible and engaging to the general public.
The chosen theme for inaugural award is “The Future of ME/CFS Research”, and entrants are invited to consider where they believe the future of biomedical research into ME/CFS lies. It is intended that the winning entries will be published by the charity.
The closing date is 25 July, and you can read more here.
Submitted by Dr. David Newton
The ME Global Chronicle 