Tag: Kuratsune

Neuroinflammation in the Brain of Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is characterized by chronic, profound, disabling, and unexplained fatigue; cognitive impairment; and chronic widespread pain. By using positron emission tomography, our study demonstrated neuroinflammation in the brain of patients with ME/CFS. Neuroinflammation was found to be widespread in the brain areas of the patients with ME/CFS and was associated with the severity of their neuropsychological symptoms. The ongoing research would lead to the establishment of objective diagnostic criteria and development of an appropriate therapy.

Source: Nakatomi Y1, Kuratsune H, Watanabe Y. Neuroinflammation in the Brain of Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Brain Nerve. 2018 Jan;70(1):19-25. doi: 10.11477/mf.1416200945. [Article in Japanese] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29348371

Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract:

We present here the Japanese clinical diagnostic criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) that were proposed in 2016 by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare study group. The clinical diagnosis criteria of ME/CFS were created to be used by healthcare agencies in charge of primary care practice. We also explain the current prognosis in ME/CFS and medical treatments used in major medical institutions in Japan.

Source: Kuratsune H. Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Brain Nerve. 2018 Jan;70(1):11-18. doi: 10.11477/mf.1416200944.[Article in Japanese] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29348370

History of Researches on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disease characterized by chronic, profound, disabling, and unexplained fatigue. The first patient with ME/CFS in Japan was identified and described in 1990 by Prof. Teruo Kitani and Dr. Hirohiko Kuratsune of the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University. Since then, a variety of studies have been performed to determine the objective biomarkers of the disease. Although it is hypothesized that brain inflammation is involved in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS, there is to date no direct evidence of neuroinflammation in patients with ME/CFS. Our recent positron emission tomography study successfully demonstrated that microglial activation, which is linked to neuroinflammation, occurs in widespread brain areas in patients with ME/CFS, and is associated with the severity of the neuropsychological symptoms. Thus, evaluation of neuroinflammation in patients with ME/CFS may be essential for understanding the core pathophysiology of the disease, and for developing objective diagnostic criteria and effective medical treatments for ME/CFS. Here, we describe disease-related pathophysiological findings and topics, and discuss the history of the diagnostic and therapeutic attempts based on previous findings in Japan.

Source: Watanabe Y, Kuratsune H. History of Researches on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Brain Nerve. 2018 Jan;70(1):5-9. doi: 10.11477/mf.1416200943. [Article in Japanese] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29348369