Fatigue syndrome recognizable in the brain

Fatigue syndrome appears to be better recognized using imaging techniques

30/10/2014

People of the so-called „Chronic fatigue syndrome“ Above all, suffer from a permanent, crippling state of exhaustion, which in many ways brings an impairment of life. So far, the causes of the disease have not been clarified, and the diagnosis and treatment are correspondingly difficult. However, Stanford University's physicians have now discovered that the syndrome apparently causes changes in the brain that could be well recognized by imaging techniques.

An estimated 300,000 am „Fatigue Syndrome” ill
An estimated 300,000 people are according to the patient organization „Fatigatio e.V.“ in Germany alone of the so-called „Chronic fatigue syndrome“ which is often referred to as „Fatigue Syndrome” (CFS) is called. This is a chronic and previously incurable disease characterized primarily by a crippling state of fatigue lasting more than six months. Due to the permanent physical and mental fatigue, it usually comes to a reduced performance and other symptoms such as body aches, headaches, sleep and concentration disorders, swollen lymph nodes, nausea and other gastrointestinal problems.

Researchers use magnetic resonance imaging to detect changes in the brain
What causes the fatigue syndrome is still unclear. Accordingly, according to Fatigatio, even today there is neither a clear way of doing so, nor are there standardized treatment procedures in which a guaranteed success can be assumed. However, physicians at Stanford University School of Medicine have apparently gained new insights into the mysterious disease. As the researchers currently report in the journal "Radiology", the team led by Dr. med. Michael Zeineh discovered, among other things with the help of a magnetic resonance tomograph, that the brain of persons with CFS shows three specific changes. „If you know nothing about the disease, throw blindfolded darts. We wondered if brain imaging could reveal something different in the brains of CFS patients and those of healthy people. And interestingly, it did“, so Dr. Zeineh according to a recent release from Stanford University.

Association between CFS and chronic inflammatory reactions suspected
Thus, for example, less white matter is present, which consists of nerve fibers that connect different brain sections together. However, according to Michael Zeineh, this discovery was not entirely unexpected, since it has long been suspected that there is a connection between CFS and chronic inflammation, „possibly in the form of a protracted immunological reaction to a hitherto unspecified viral infection.“ However, it has been known for some time that inflammations can have a negative effect on the white matter, said the study director.

Changes also in the right right hemisphere of fatigue patients
In addition, the researchers were able to discover something completely new by their investigations of 15 CFS patients and 14 healthy volunteers. Accordingly, the team had the help of the „diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging“ Also, changes in a particular part of the neural pathway in the right half of the brain of fatigue patients are discovered, which is technically considered „right fasciculus arcuatus“ is called and connects the frontal lobes with the temporal lobe. In addition, the researchers also found a strong correlation between the degree of anomaly in the right arcuate fasciculus in CFS patients and the severity of the condition, as well as a thickening of the gray matter at two sites near these nerve fibers, according to the University continue. However, what these results mean in concrete terms for research is still unclear. Zeineh: „It is frustrating for people with fatigue syndrome because they feel tired and have difficulty thinking clearly - and science has yet to find out what goes wrong.“

Comprehensive study already in the planning
However, the study offers an approach to diagnose fatigue in the future using imaging techniques faster and better, the researchers write. Although the number of subjects was relatively low, the technique used was promising, according to Zeineh, because the syndrome was clearly identified in 80% of cases. Despite the stable results, these should now be further confirmed, accordingly, the Stanford scientists are currently in the planning phase for a much larger investigation: „This study was a start. It shows us where to look“, so Dr. Zeineh. (No)