Phoenix Rising: Proteins on the Brain- Spinal Tapping for ME/CFS

[Cort Johnson]

We've  understandably gotten wrapped up in XMRV over the past for five months but there is other exciting, potentially game breaking research going on. Dr. Baraniuk's first brain proteome paper in 2006 suggested he may have found a core element in the problems facing ME/CFS, FM and GWS patients. His first study uncovered a suite of unusual spinal fluid proteins which suggested that blood vessels in CFS patient's brains might be 'under attack' from unusual conglomerations of proteins called amyloid proteins. These proteins, interestingly enough, are implicated in a series of central nervous system diseases. The blood vessel connection, was intriguing given other studies suggesting CFS patients may have problems there as well. There was also indication of increased oxidative stress. All in all his paper seemed to tie together quite a few strands in this disorder.

Dr. Baraniuk began a new larger study aimed at validating this last study results. I was able to participate in that study and Dr. Baraniuk was quite willing to sit down and talk at length about his work and his conception of ME/CFS. 

• Check out Proteins on the Brain.  and its companion piece containing my Spinal Tap story
• Spinal Tapping for ME/CFS

Since the last newsletter we've had quite a bit of XMRV and other news. 

• First we were up: XMRV and CFS: Check, Check, Check? 
• Then we were a bit down: XMRV and ME/CFS: Muddy Waters 
• Then we went up again quite a bit : Light in the Darkness: Good News for XMRV? 
• We had some exciting news about efforts to build a WPI-like Institute in New Jersey: WPI in New Jersey: Support the NEID Center 
• If you missed the ending of Corrine's Visit to Dr. Peterson (because of my bad link) check it out here. 
• We created a ME/CFS Action Mailing List to support advocacy efforts - please join! 

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Cort Johnson

Phoenix Rising  - An ME/CFS Website at http://aboutmecfs.org.
Proudly affiliated with ME-CFS Community at http://ME-CFSCommunity.com

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Cort Johnson

Phoenix Rising  - An ME/CFS Website at http://aboutmecfs.org.
Proudly affiliated with ME-CFS Community at http://ME-CFSCommunity.com