Driving research of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS),
Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), Fibromyalgia and Post COVID .

Deep Assessment of Neuroinflammation
Using CNS Imaging and Analysis of CSF, Blood, Saliva Samples

To explore the hypothesis that deranged flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) due to craniocervical obstructions and/or instability may cause deranged intracranial pressure (ICP), neuroinflammation and cardinal symptoms of ME/CFS.

  • Jonas Bergquist in collaboration with the Haravard CRC

Our study will be the first to systematically measure CNS structural abnormalities in a large ME/CFS case-control study using gold-standard methods. It will Highlight CSF pressure, structural abnormalities, and neuroinflammation, with pathophysiological implementations in ME/CFS. Added to this will be collected biospecimens to perform extensive state-of-the art analyses with the ambition to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers

The IRB review will kick off shortly.

 

STUDY HYPOTHESIS AND DESCRIPTION

The overall aim is to explore the hypothesis that deranged flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) due to craniocervical obstructions and/or instability may cause deranged intracranial pressure (ICP), neuroinflammation and cardinal symptoms of ME/CFS. If this hypothesis proves true it opens a new research area in ME/CFS and hopes for effective treatment to regulate ICP and relieve symptoms associated with ME/CFS. This study will make use of CNS imaging and analysis of CSF, blood, saliva samples, and will identify proteomic and metabolomic biomarkers of the disease, a highly needed tool in the diagnostic and prognostic process. By the combination of more detailed clinical examination and evaluation and multiOmics biomarker analysis we will be able to provide a more individually adapted care and hopefully cure.

OBJECTIVES

  • Characterize prevalence and severity of CNS structural abnormalities using T1/T2 structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  • Characterize neuroinflammation by CSF composition analyses and dual MRI/MRS examination.
  • Characterize CSF pressure and flow using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
  • Identify biomarkers of the disease by extensive and detailed analyses of CSF, blood and saliva, using proteomics and metabolomics.