Brain Awareness Week
10 – 16th March was Brain Awareness Week, a “global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science”. Many ME/CFS symptoms – such as problems with concentration, memory and vision – suggest abnormalities in the brain and nervous system, and a great deal of the research we fund is focused on this area.
World Sleep Day
14th March was World Sleep Day – an annual event which aims to raise awareness about sleep-related issues and promote better management of sleep disorders. Most people with ME/CFS report having difficulties with sleep, and studies reveal correlation between poor sleep quality and reduced quality of life in ME/CFS.
ME Research UK-funded study – Muscle and blood vessel analysis in ME/CFS
Dr Rob Wüst at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has updated us on his ME Research UK-funded project investigating microclots, and analysing blood vessels and mitochondria in the muscle of people with ME/CFS. The team has completed many of their planned assessments, with initial findings prompting further tests. The project is due to conclude later this year, and we look forward to bringing you more information about any findings in due course.
Research articles
Link between energy production and immune dysfunction
Jente Van Campenhout and colleagues, at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, reviewed the link between energy metabolism (the process of energy production and utilisation in the body) and immune dysfunction in ME/CFS. ME Research UK funds Jente’s PhD-level research on mitochondrial function and the autonomic nervous system in ME/CFS.
Quality of life in ME/CFS and long COVID
An Australian team, including Dr Kiran Thapaliya, Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, and Dr Natalie Eaton-Fitch, who are also currently working on research funded by ME Research UK, reviewed quality-of-life studies relating to ME/CFS and long COVID. Unsurprisingly, they found that both conditions reduce quality of life – negatively impacting physical health (including increasing pain) and ability to perform daily and work activities.
Natural killer cell dysfunction
A meta-analysis found that reduced natural killer cell cytotoxicity (an immune function which enables diseased cells to be destroyed) is the most consistent immune-related finding in ME/CFS, supporting the hypothesis of immune system dysfunction in ME/CFS.
Other topics explored in March include assessment of immunoadsorption treatment in post-COVID ME/CFS, ME/CFS educational activity for student health professionals, and prevalence of viral cells in people with ME/CFS.
Fundraising
Kiltwalk is a unique charity that enables walkers to raise money for any Scottish charity and, as ME Research UK is based in Perth, we are eligible to participate – but we need your help. Read more about how to get involved.
Blue Sunday – Anna Redshaw’s ‘Blue Sunday’ Tea Party For M.E. in aid of various ME charities (including ME Research UK) will be held this year on Sunday 18th May 2025. Since its launch in 2013, the initiative has raised over £140,000 for charities. Read more about how to take part.
Help us make the breakthrough
We know that, as a subscriber to our newsletter and someone who is interested in our work, you join us in the belief that only robust scientific research is the key to understanding ME/CFS.
Donations from our valued supporters are vital if we are to continue our work to inform, influence and invest in ME/CFS research globally.
