What is ME/CFS? – Leading Theories over the

Years

Where did the term ME come from? MyalgicEncephalomyelitis(ME),translatesintomusclepain(myalgic)accompaniedbyinflammationofthebrainandspinalcord(encephalomyelitis).

Source:Heckenlively,Kent.Plague.Skyhorse.KindleEdition.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ3UxSZ6MII

ThetermMEwascoinedin1956inTheLancet–intheclustersanalysed~theyfoundevidenceofabnormalcerebrospinalfluid.

“ANewClinicalEntity?”

“Ofthe8outbreaksinGroup2,allexceptthatattheRoyalFreewereinitiallyconfusedwithpoliomyelitis,andalloccurredduringorshortlyaftertheseasonalperiodofprevalenceofpoliomyelitis.”

Why ME rather than CFS? •  The2011InternationalConsensusCriteriadefinitionofMEthatissharedbymanyexpertsgloballyandhasgainedextensiveinternationalacceptance,writtenbyJudyMikovits,MartinPall,and24others...

•  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2011.02428.x/pdf…beginsasfollows:“Thelabel‘chronicfatiguesyndrome’(CFS)haspersistedformanyyearsbecauseofthelackofknowledgeoftheaetiologicalagentsandthediseaseprocess.Inviewofmorerecentresearchandclinicalexperiencethatstronglypointtowidespreadinflammationandmultisystemicneuropathology,itismoreappropriateandcorrecttousetheterm‘myalgicencephalomyelitis’(ME)becauseitindicatesanunderlyingpathophysiology.ItisalsoconsistentwiththeneurologicalclassificationofMEintheWorldHealthOrganization’sInternationalClassificationofDiseases(ICDG93.3).Consequently,anInternationalConsensusPanelconsistingofclinicians,researchers,teachingfacultyandanindependentpatientadvocatewasformedwiththepurposeofdevelopingcriteriabasedoncurrentknowledge.Thirteencountriesandawiderangeofspecialtieswererepresented.…”

The first recorded outbreak at Los Angeles County Hospital

Source:1.JudyMikovits,KentHeckenlively;PlagueofCorruption(March2020),JudyMikovits,KentHeckenlively;2.Plague,Chapter5,JudyMikovits,KentHeckenlively;3.Dr.ByronHyde,https://aonm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Dr.-Byron-Hyde-MorningTalk.pdf

Hospitalsettlement1939:Intoday’sfunds:TheinsuranceindustrypaidtoeachofthemedicalstaffillwithM.E.5millionpoundssterlinginUSdollars3.“Contingentonreceivingthepaymentwasnon-publicityoftheepidemic.”1

“TrialsoftheBrodievaccineincluded7,000children13inadditiontothe“300nursesandphysicians”fromtheLosAngelesCountyHospital.14”2

“Mystery illness incident“ – Incline Village, Nevada

LikeAIDSpatients,affectedindividualsfromtheTahoeepidemicsufferedfromlownaturalkillercellactivityandresultantrunawayreactivationofvariousherpesviruses,includingEBV,CMVandwhatisnowcalledHHV-6A.AlsolikeAIDSpatients,theTahoepatientshadmanysmallplaques(dubbed“unidentifiedbrightobjects”)evidentinMRIbrainscans.OtherabnormalitiesrecordedintheTahoecohortincludedunusuallyhighhelper/suppressorT-cellratios;largeamountsofRnase-L/RNAribosomaldestruction;highlyelevatedInterleukin-2levels;andunusuallylowerythrocytesedimentationrates(0,1or2inmanypatients).MostbutnotalloftheTahoepatientshadthereactivatedEpstein-Barrvirusdescribedinthepaperson“chronicEBV,”thussuggestingthatthisparticularviruswasnottheunderlyingcauseofthedisease.”Source:https://paradigmchange.me/me/tahoe/

BrilliantlydocumentedbyHillaryJohnson

“Duringthesecondhalfof1984,Dr.PaulCheneyandDr.DanielPetersonbeganseeingcasesmatchingtheillnessdescriptionintheirpracticeinInclineVillage,Nevada.UltimatelyafewhundredcasesfromtheLakeTahoe-Truckeeareawererecordedbythedoctors.…

Komaroff, Peterson et al: Clear biomedical abnormalities, incl. active HHV-6 replication

“In1992,ateamof17researcherswhohadstudiedtheLakeTahoeoutbreakpublishedapapersummarizingfindingsfromtheoutbreakinthesummarizingfindingsfromtheoutbreakintheAnnalsofInternalMedicine.Thepaperfocusedonthreeabnormalitiesfoundinthepatients:1)highCD4/CD8T-cellratios,2)MRIscansshowing“punctate,subcorticalareasofhighsignalintensityconsistentwithedemaordemyelination,”andc)activereplicationofHHV-6.ThearticledidnotrefertoeitherM.E.orCFS,andinsteaddescribedthecohortashaving“achronicdebilitatingillnessofacuteonset.”TheleadauthoronthepaperwasAnthonyKomaroffofHarvardUniversity;amongtheco-authorswasRobertGallo,aresearcherwidelyknownforhisroleinthediscoveryoftheHIVvirusseveralyearsearlier.”

Source:https://paradigmchange.me/me/tahoe/

Neurotoxin mediated? “Duringthe1980s,thelocalskiresorts[intheLakeTahoearea]embarkeduponacampaignofintensecloudseedingwithsilveriodide.”Couldmouldsandbacteriabeconvertingambientatmosphericfinemetalparticlesintoevensmallernanoparticles,actingasbiosynthesizersofnanoparticles?”

Source:https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/local/researchers-hope-to-bring-cloud-seeding-drone-to-lake-tahoe/;https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/is-me-infectious.25171/page-2

Erik Johnson: Chronic Trichothecene Mycotoxicosis? “Thecontagionoccurredwhenpeopleintheearly"sheddingphase"ofviralillnesswereallinthepresenceofmoldybuildings,particularlyoneswithStachybotrysChartarum.Onlythen,wasthediseaseeasilypassedfromonetoanother.”

Source:ErikJohnson;JohanningE,MoreyPR,JarvisB(1993):Clinical-EpidemiologicalInvestigationofHealthEffectsCausedbyStachybotrysatraContamination.InSeppanenO,SteriJ,KainlauriE(eds):“IndoorAir93″Helsinki:FiSIAQ,1:225

“SomestrainsofStachybotryschartarumcanproducemycotoxinsofthetrichotheceneandspirolactonefamilies.ThetrichothecenemycotoxinssatratoxinsGandHarepotentproteinsynthesisinhibitorsandcauseimmunosuppressioninlaboratoryanimals.Inexperimentalanimalstudies,thetrichothecenesaffectrapidlyproliferatingtissuessuchasskinandmucosa,aswellaslymphaticandhematopoietictissues(Ueno,1983).Inlaboratoryanimals,acuteexposuretolargeamountsoftrichothecenetoxinsresultsinarapidreleaseofsequesteredwhitebloodcellsintocirculation,whilerepeatedorchronicexposuredestroysgranulocyticprecursorcellsinbonemarrowleadingtowhitecelldepletion.Amongthereportedcellulareffectsare:mitogenB/Tlymphocyteblastogenesissuppression;decreaseofIgM,IgG,IgA;impairedmacrophageactivityandmigration-chemotaxis;broadimmunosuppressiveeffectsonthecellularandhumoral-mediatedimmuneresponseleadingtosecondaryinfections;and,paradoxically,increasedspontaneousantibodyproducingcellsinthespleen(Corrier,1991).”

“MostaspectsofchronictrichothecenemycotoxicosisareconsistentwithCFS,includingthesymptoms,laboratoryfindingsandrecoveryprofile.ItissuggestedthatfurtherresearchiswarrantedtodetermineifasubgroupofpatientsdiagnosedwithCFSareactuallysufferingfrommycotoxicosis.”

Dr. Les Simpson: “ME: A Haemorheological Disorder Manifested as Impaired Capillary Blood Flow”

Source:http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1997/articles/1997-v12n02-p069.shtml;https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/new-study-hints-at-biological-roots-of-mental-and-physical-problems-in-me-cfs.21462/page-2

“InapaperpublishedbyNewJerseyMedicine,IsuggestedthatMEpeoplemighthavetheanatomicalfeatureofsmallerthanusualcapillarydiameters.”…abnormallyshapedRBCs,hyper-viscousbloodinMEpatients,andalsoslowedcerebralbloodflow….foundthatmorethan80%ofMEpatientshavechangedredbloodcellshapepopulation“…inadequateratesofdeliveryofoxygenandnutrientsubstrates,havingthegreatestadverseeffectonthetissueswithgreatmetabolicactivityandhighdemandforsubstrates,e.g.musclesandglands.”

Professor Martin Pall: The NO/ONOO- Cycle

Source:https://news.wsu.edu/2007/04/27/complex-paradigm-may-explain-elusive-illnesses/;https://www.prohealth.com/library/nitric-oxide-cycle-theory-will-it-explain-cfs-fm-and-other-unexplained-illnesses-qa-with-martin-l-pall-phd-24338:InterviewwithProfessorMartinPall

“Inessence,hestatesthatMEandsimilarillnessesmaybesetinmotionbyshort-termstressorssuchasviralorbacterialinfection,chemicalexposure,physicaltraumaorseverepsychologicalstress.Thesestressorsareallknowntoraiselevelsofthecompoundnitricoxide—anditsoxidantproduct,peroxynitrite(ONOO-).Inhighconcentrations,peroxynitritedamagesmitochondrialproteinsinthecell,leadingtothereleaseofotherbreakdownproductswhichthenstimulateafurtherincreaseinnitricoxidelevels.”ProfessorPall:“Soforeachofthesecasesofillness,wehaveaninitialcause,oneormorestressors,andanongoingcause,theNO/ONOO-cyclemechanism.”

Dr. Byron Hyde: An encephalitic enteroviral infection of the CNS – enteroviral-caused

Source:https://cfbdeb1f-cb90-495d-88ac-d547ac467884.filesusr.com/ugd/5b307e_06f1c3f9d3bb41539f9fde712e739c8b.pdf

XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus) – a retrovirus?

Source:“Plague”,JudyMikovits,KentHeckenlively

Judy Mikovits: Retroviral association – non HIV-AIDS/EIDs

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfFg5bW8i-8&feature=youtu.be,minute4.56

“Afamilyofdiseaseswithsimilarunderlyingmolecularpathogenesis:Ifweconsiderthemallneuroimmunedisease…everyasterixhasevidenceinatleastonepeer-reviewedpublicationofretroviralassociation”

Robert Naviaux: The Cell Danger Response

“Thecelldangerresponse(CDR)istheevolutionarilyconservedmetabolicresponsethatprotectscellsandhostsfromharm.Itistriggeredbyencounterswithchemical,physical,orbiologicalthreatsthatexceedthecellularcapacityforhomeostasis.”

“Whendangerisdetected,mitochondriaaltercellularmetabolismtoshieldthecellfromfurtherinjury“

Robert Naviaux: CDR/Antipurinergic signalling

Source:NaviauxRK.MetabolicfeaturesoftheCellDangerResponse.Mitochondrion.2014May;16;http://naviauxlab.ucsd.edu/science-item/autism-research/:

”ThefirstwaveofdangersignalsconsistsofthereleaseofmetabolicintermediateslikeATPandADP,Krebscycleintermediates,oxygen,andreactiveoxygenspecies(ROS),andissustainedbypurinergicsignaling.”….“ThesystemicformoftheCDR,anditsmagnifiedform,thepurinergiclife-threatresponse(PLTR),areunderdirectcontrolbyancientpathwaysinthebrainthatareultimatelycoordinatedbycentersinthebrainstem.”….“TheCDRismaintainedbyextracellularnucleotide(purinergic)signaling.”“Antipurinergictherapy(APT)hasproveneffectiveinmanychronicdisordersinanimalmodels……Purinergicreceptorsarewidelydistributedoneverycelltypeinthebody.….Suraminisanon-selectiveinhibitorofpurinergicsignaling,anantipurinergicdrug,orAPDforshort.

Robert Naviaux and Ron Davis: Metabolomics Metabolomicsshowedthatchronicfatiguesyndromeisahighlyconcertedhypometabolicresponsetoenvironmentalstressthattracestomitochondriaandwassimilartotheclassicallystudieddevelopmentalstateofdauer.Thisdiscoveryopensafreshpathfortherationaldevelopmentofnewtherapeuticsandidentifiesmetabolomicsasapowerfultooltoidentifythechemicaldifferencesthatcontributetohealthanddisease.

“ThisworkopensafreshpathtobothunderstandingthebiologyofCFSand,moreimportantlytopatients,arobust,rationalwaytodevelopnewtherapeuticsforadiseasesorelyinneedofthem.”RobertNaviaux(StudyAugust2016)

Intracranial hypertension/craniocervical obstruction

AccordingtotheIntracranialHypertensionResearchFoundation,manyfactorscancauseIIHincluding,interestingly,infectionsandinfectiousmononucleosis,andautoimmunedisorders.Socanheadtrauma,stroke,bloodclots,drugs(includingtetracyclineantibiotics),hypoparathyroidismandAddison’sdisease.

Source:https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2019/12/23/intracranial-hypertension-fibromyalgia-chronic-fatigue-migraine/;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiari_malformation

SignsofIntracranialHypertension,HypermobilityandCraniocervicalObstructionsinpatientswithMyalgicEncephalomyelitis/ChronicFatigueSyndromeBjörnBragée1,3*,AnastasiosMichos3,BrandonDrum1,3,MikaelFahlgren2,3,RobertSzulkin3,BoCBertilson1,2,3*

Chiarimalformationoccurswhenthecerebellumdipsdownintothespinalcolumncuttingimpedingspinalfluidflows.Itsassociatedpain(especiallyheadachesaggravatedbycoughing/straining),weakness–especiallyinthehands,neck,andarm–andlegpain,numbness,temperatureinsensitivity,unsteadiness,doublevision,slurredspeech,troubleswallowing,vomitingandtinnitus(ringingintheears).

Jennifer Brea: Craniocervical instability/brainstem compression

“Inolongermeetthecriteriaformyalgicencephalo-myelitis.Myphysicalandcognitivepost-exertionalmalaise(PEM)arebothgone.IhavenotcrashedsinceIleftthehospital.MyPOTSisgone.Myperipheralneurologicalsymptoms,soundsensitivity,sensoryprocessingchallenges,difficultyregulatingmybodytemperature,intracranialpressure,braininflam-mationandmusclefatigabilityareallgone.IamoffValcyte,Famvir,Mestinon,andallotherMEorPOTSdrugs.Itisnowclearthatallofmysymptomshadamechanicalmechanism:brainstemcompression(likelywithalteredcerebrospinalfluidandcranialbloodflow)duetocranialsettlingandcraniocervicalinstability(CCI),incombinationwithtetheredcordsyndrome.”

Source:https://medium.com/@jenbrea/health-update-3-my-me-is-in-remission-dd575e650f71

Michael VanElzakker: Vagus Nerve Infection Hypothesis (VNIH)/Microglia activation

Source:http://simmaronresearch.com/2013/12/one-theory-explain-vagus-nerve-infection-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/;NeurologyofME/CFS:NeuroinflammationimagingatHarvardSymposium,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ3UxSZ6MII

“TheVNIHproposesthatnerve-lovingvirusestriggeradifficulttodetectimmuneresponsewhichproducesthefatigueandothersymptomspresentinchronicfatiguesyndrome…Thevagusnerveappears,infact,toberipeforinfectioninME/CFS.Asit‘wanders’throughthebodyitcomesintocontactwithvirushavenssuchastheesophagus,stomach,lungsandspleen,allofwhichhavelikelyatonetimeoranotherharboredtheherpesviruses(HHV6,HHV-5[cytomegalovirus],HHV-4[Epstein-Barrvirus])thathavebeenthoughttobeassociatedwithME/CFSfordecades.”

Hisimagingisalsofinding“Virchow-Robinperivascularspaces”–vizthe“unidentifiedbrightobjects”fromtheLakeTahoeMRIsinthe1980s–likelytobecharacteristicofglymphaticdysfunctionandperivascularpathology

Even the CDC now admit it (2020): Infections, immune system, energy production: “It is possible that ME/CFS has more than

one cause”

Source:https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/about/possible-causes.html